Oscar Bluemner 1913

Alfred Stieglitz captured Oscar Bluemner in a photograph, sometime around the turn of the century. Look at the way the light softens Bluemner’s features, almost blurring the lines between him and the background. It’s like Stieglitz wasn't just snapping a picture, but was trying to catch a mood. The photo has this incredible depth, even though it's mostly in shades of gray. It’s all about textures: the fuzz of his jacket, the smooth curve of his pipe, the sharp line of his bowler hat. Those eyes, though! They’re so intense, they draw you right in. You can almost feel like you can see a part of his soul, despite the fact that the tonal range is so limited. I think of other artists, like Edward Steichen, who were also playing with photography as a way to express something beyond just a visual record. They were both interested in the conversation between art and technology, which feels so relevant today. It's like they were all wrestling with how to make sense of the world through their art.