Cast Ice: Freezing and Melting, January 3, 4, 5...1969 1969

This is Hans Haacke's photograph, "Cast Ice: Freezing and Melting, January 3, 4, 5...1969." It's a study in impermanence, captured in monochrome. Haacke’s ice isn’t just sitting there; it's actively becoming something else. The texture's everything here, right? You've got the slick, hard edges of the ice contrasting with the dark, solid wood beneath. The photograph captures the ephemeral nature of the ice as it fractures and melts, leaving a trail of water that blurs the boundary between solid and liquid. It makes you consider the relationship between the elements, how they interact and change each other. I’m reminded of Robert Smithson’s earthworks, the way he brought natural processes into the gallery space. Haacke shares that interest in process, but he’s also got this sharp, critical edge. He's showing us that everything is in flux, nothing stays the same, and that’s maybe a metaphor for the world itself.