Chicago 56 1960

Aaron Siskind made this photograph, Chicago 56, without any date using gelatin silver. The image presents itself in shades of black and white, with what seems to be a spontaneous gesture rendered on a wall, something like graffiti, or maybe a quick and imperfect stencil. This kind of mark-making is so process-oriented, it’s about immediate expression. I’m really drawn to the blurred edges where the silvery-white paint meets the black background. It makes me think about how we perceive forms, how the materiality of a thing—the texture, the grain, the imperfections—contributes to its emotional and conceptual weight. Look at the upper left of the central circle. There, you see drips. It makes me think of Cy Twombly! Both he and Siskind were interested in how a gesture could be recorded, how a moment could be stretched out across time. For me, it's always about that conversation, the ongoing dialogue that artists have with each other, across generations. Isn't art a beautiful mess?