Vanish 2004

David Burdeny made this photograph, Vanish, sometime in the 21st century with a camera, and it’s all about subtlety. The shades of gray are so close, they feel like a whisper. It reminds me that making art is really about seeing. The texture is mainly in the wooden posts lined up in the water, each one a little rough, a little different. They break up the smooth surface, drawing your eye toward the horizon where everything blurs. Look how the posts get smaller and fainter, disappearing into the distance! It’s like Burdeny is playing with depth, but also with the idea of fading away. There’s a stillness here, almost meditative. It makes me think of Hiroshi Sugimoto, who also finds the sublime in simple subjects, and reminds us that sometimes, the most powerful thing an artist can do is show us how to look. There’s no one meaning here, just a feeling of quiet and contemplation.