Archipelago, New York 1975

Irving Penn made this artwork called Archipelago, New York, using a platinum print. The island seems to loom out of a thick fog, doesn't it? Look at the way the light seems to catch the edges, like a storm is rolling in. I can almost feel the cool, damp air. It's funny, sometimes I wonder what an artist is thinking when they make something. Were they frustrated? Exhilarated? Penn has used black and white with such a limited tonal range. It's an interesting choice. And the specks around the edges give the island an ethereal quality, as though its form is gradually eroding at the edges, becoming something else. There's a similar gesture in Yves Klein’s monochrome paintings. Ultimately, all artists are having one big conversation. It’s a game of telephone, isn’t it? This constant give and take through time. And we get to be a part of it just by looking.