Shell on Hand, Paris 1933

This is a photograph by Ilse Bing, called Shell on Hand, Paris. Imagine her there, in Paris. She's playing around, finding these amazing compositions in the everyday. There's a hand, reaching out, and on it, a shell. It’s a very simple gesture but so expressive of her delight at seeing. It’s like she’s saying, “look at this”. The light is hitting the hand just so, creating these sharp shadows. The shell itself becomes a little sculpture, a found object elevated to art. I see it in relation to the work of artists like Man Ray and Brassaï, who were also finding beauty in the unusual angles of modern life. And the way she frames it, so close up, makes you feel like you’re right there with her. It’s an invitation to see the world with fresh eyes.