Gezicht op Cap Martin bij Monaco before 1903

Franz Goerke made this small black and white photograph of Cap Martin near Monaco sometime around the turn of the century. I love photographs like this; they remind us that artmaking is a process of seeing and feeling as much as it is a process of recording. Look at the texture of the image; you can see the grain of the original photographic print, with all the tiny imperfections. This reminds us of the hand of the artist, how their material choices can shape our experience. Take a moment to notice how the sunlight reflects off the water, and how the artist has used the contrasts in light and shadow to create a sense of depth and space. It's almost as if the artist wanted to capture the essence of a place, rather than just record its appearance. This photograph has the same feeling of seeing as, say, a Whistler nocturne, both artists seeking to evoke the mood of a place through subtle tonal modulations. Art isn't about fixed meanings, it's about opening up a space for our own experiences and interpretations.