The Unsated Earth 1940 - 1944

Jaromír Funke made “The Unsated Earth” with photography. I imagine he was drawn to the statue’s uncanny presence. The way it stands, part of nature yet utterly separate, creates a process of conflicting relations. Look at the surface: a dance of light and shadow. It’s all about texture, right? The grainy feel of the photograph itself, contrasting with the smooth, idealized form of the cherubic figure. What I love is how the light makes the leaves beneath the statue seem to reach and grasp, like the Earth itself is alive, pulling at the cold stone. The statue's blank stare draws me in. Is it joy, sorrow, or just the void? Funke isn't telling us what to think. This reminds me of Atget, who documented Paris with a similar, detached curiosity. Both artists seem to suggest that art is an ongoing dialogue, full of open-ended questions.