Carte photographique de la lune, planche I (Photographic Chart of the Moon, plate I) Possibly 1909 - 1914

This photographic chart of the moon, Plate I, made by Charles Le Morvan, is a real head trip. The moon, a classic subject, has been charted using photography - a relatively new medium at the time. I can only imagine what it would have been like to make this thing, wrestling with the technology, trying to capture something so far away, so elusive. You can sense the artist really pushing at the limits of the medium. I imagine him poring over the print in the darkroom, trying to bring out every little detail, every shadow and crater. The contrast between the white of the moon and the deep black of space is really striking. There is a great sense of depth and texture. It reminds me of the way Agnes Martin used to build up layers of gesso on her canvases to create a subtle, luminous surface. We, as artists, are all in conversation with each other, even across time and different mediums. And it’s that conversation, that exchange of ideas, that keeps us going, keeps us pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.