Art Forms in Nature 28 1928

Karl Blossfeldt made this gelatin silver print, Art Forms in Nature 28, sometime in the first third of the 20th Century. What strikes me is the texture of the plant forms; the way Blossfeldt has captured every tiny detail of the natural world, almost like a sculptor working with light and shadow. The image is sharply focused, with a shallow depth of field that makes the subjects pop out against the stark white background. The textures of the plants are so palpable you could almost reach out and touch them, feeling the intricate patterns of the leaves and stems. Look at the way the light plays across the surface of the central head of budding leaves, creating a sense of depth and volume. It reminds me of the precision of Albrecht Dürer. Blossfeldt’s work really paved the way for later artists interested in abstraction, like Georgia O’Keefe, who used natural forms to create something entirely new. Art is an ongoing conversation across generations, isn’t it? It’s all about seeing the world in new ways and sharing those visions with others.