Human Mechanics 1925

László Moholy-Nagy made "Human Mechanics" sometime in the first half of the 20th century, likely using photography and collage. The figures, frozen in mid-leap, seem to float amidst a landscape of geometric forms. There's a real playfulness here, in the tonal range, moving between the sharp clarity of pure black and the softest grey. Look at how the artist positions these figures. They're layered with these architectural planes, almost like dancers caught in a machine. The texture is fascinating, too. It's flat, but the superimposition creates depth, as if the figures are emerging from the surface. I keep thinking about the line quality, so precise. There is a tension, a dynamism, but there is also a kind of melancholy feeling. Moholy-Nagy's exploration of photography reminds me of Man Ray, another artist who was obsessed with the way we see, and the way we represent what we see. This piece is a great example of how art can be about movement and stillness at the same time.