Early Morning Fog 1998

Curator: Larry Stark's "Early Morning Fog," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums, feels instantly…dreamy. Editor: It really does. There's a soft, almost pixelated quality to the print that makes the scene feel like it's dissolving before your eyes. Curator: Exactly! And the light! Look at how the pale pinks and blues bleed into each other, creating this hazy, ethereal atmosphere. I'm really moved by it. Editor: It's fascinating how the artist captures the fleeting nature of light and atmosphere, especially in a medium like printmaking, which is often associated with precision and control. The paper itself looks torn, which disrupts the supposed permanency of the piece. Curator: I'm getting a sense of stillness, like holding my breath so as not to disturb the scene. Editor: Right. And perhaps that feeling is a commentary on how landscapes were being framed in conservation debates at the time of the image's creation. Curator: I like that. It's as if Stark is not just showing us a landscape, but inviting us to participate in its delicate existence. Editor: Precisely. It’s a tender, visual poem.