Untitled 1945

Here is the audio guide script: This black and white photograph by Frederick Sommer presents an unsettling scene of animal remains in what appears to be a barren landscape. You can almost feel the artist carefully composing the shot, positioning himself at just the right angle to capture the stark reality before him. I imagine Sommer, driven by a desire to confront mortality, searching for this scene. What was he thinking as he framed this image? The texture of the earth, the stark contrast between light and shadow, and the decay of the flesh create a somber mood. It's a visceral image, right? The animal limbs, scattered and exposed, speak of vulnerability and the transient nature of existence. Sommer's work reminds me of photographers like Joel-Peter Witkin, who also explore themes of death and the grotesque. But I can't help thinking of painters too, like Chaim Soutine and his raw depictions of carcasses. Artists are always wrestling with these big questions, each inspiring the next. And in this photograph, Sommer makes clear that art-making is about embracing the messy, uncomfortable truths of life, and finding beauty in the unexpected.