Songs of the Sky 1924

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, "Songs of the Sky," by pointing his camera upwards. It's all about capturing light, you know? The texture in this photo is amazing, like clouds painted with shades of gray. The way Stieglitz plays with light feels so modern, even though it’s, well, not. Look how the light flares, almost as though the paper itself is emitting light. It's almost like a Rothko, that kind of sublime feeling, but with clouds instead of rectangles. It’s about the atmosphere, the feeling of being enveloped by something bigger than yourself. For me, it's as though this single mark of light is the starting point for everything else, like a sun emerging or fading away. It’s a reminder that art is always talking to art, and sometimes, the conversation happens in the sky.