Untitled (from the series Still Water (The River Thames, for Example)) 1999

This 'Untitled' photograph, part of Roni Horn's series 'Still Water (The River Thames, for Example),' is all about the subtleties of looking. The Thames is practically a character here, captured in shades of brown and grey. See how the light plays across the water's surface? It's almost like Horn is painting with light, finding endless variations in a seemingly limited palette. What you get is this incredible sense of depth and movement, despite it being a still image. It's less about representation, more about feeling the constant flux of the river. There's a calmness to this piece, sure, but also this underlying sense of something unknowable and deep that reminds me a bit of Vija Celmins's depictions of the ocean. It's a similar vibe – quiet, reflective, and totally mesmerizing. And like Celmins, Horn shows us that even the most ordinary things, like a river, can be endlessly complex and beautiful if you really pay attention.