Eight Scalpels 1935

Walker Evans made this photograph of eight scalpels, sometime in his career, using photographic paper. Look at how the light rakes across the surface of these tools, making each nick and imperfection visible. There's a tactile quality to the image, as if you could reach out and feel the cool, worn metal. He's not trying to hide the history of these objects, but rather embrace it. My eye is drawn to the scalpel second from the right, with its central spine and ornate, twisted handle. It’s kind of beautiful. Like a surreal flower or something. It's a reminder that even the most functional objects can possess a strange kind of grace. Think about Man Ray. He also took photos of ordinary objects. There is a similar process of turning them into something else. Art is an ongoing conversation.