Primeval Forests 1937 - 1938

Jaromír Funke made this photograph, a gelatin silver print, of Primeval Forests sometime in the first half of the 20th century. Imagine being Funke stumbling through the undergrowth, tripping over fallen trees, as you try to frame this shot. The scene is chaotic but he brings clarity and order to the composition, almost like a drawing, creating a sense of depth and texture that's just mesmerizing. I think of the forest as a kind of primordial painting studio. The way light filters through the trees, casting shadows and illuminating details, reminds me of working with layers of color and tone in my own paintings. It's all about finding that balance between chaos and order, structure and spontaneity, and Funke, like a painter, has discovered this equilibrium within the frame. Artists are always borrowing from each other, engaging in a constant give-and-take across time and space. Every artist is in dialogue with what has come before.