Spiral Staircase 2003

This large-scale photograph by James Casebere captures an imagined architectural space, a staircase. The image seems to emerge from a monochromatic palette of creams and browns, where the play of light and shadow creates an atmosphere that's both serene and slightly surreal. I imagine Casebere meticulously crafting his models, adjusting the light to get these extraordinary effects. What was he thinking as he was making it? I sympathize with that desire to shape light to transform space. There’s something really powerful in how the light moves across the surfaces, giving a sense of depth and movement to this otherwise still image. It reminds me of the way Agnes Martin used to talk about her grids – not as fixed structures, but as ways of suggesting openness and possibility. It’s all about the interplay, the ongoing dialogue between artists across time, isn't it? That willingness to embrace ambiguity and uncertainty. I think that’s why I keep coming back to painting – and to images like this one.