Sixth Avenue, New York c. 1920s

Clara Sipprell made this photograph, Sixth Avenue, New York, using gelatin silver print. The soft, muted tones feel so melancholic, almost like a watercolor wash, yet it’s full of hard edges and right angles, like a Cubist painting. I'm really drawn to the way the light filters through the haze, blurring the edges of the buildings and softening the harshness of the city. It makes the cars look like they're gliding through a dream. Notice how the elevated train tracks cut across the frame, casting a long shadow over the street. The street lamp rises from the centre like a beacon in the gloom. The textures invite you to imagine the dampness on the pavement. Sipprell really knew how to capture the mood of a place. This feels like stepping back in time. It reminds me of Eugène Atget’s photographs of Paris. It shows how artists can find beauty in the everyday, transforming the ordinary into something extraordinary. I love how this image leaves room for interpretation, inviting us to bring our own experiences and emotions to it.