Tombe van een sjeik in Edom, Palestina 1929

Richard St. Barbe Baker made this photograph, 'Tombe van een sjeik in Edom, Palestina'. It's almost entirely sand, sky, and sepia tones. The tomb itself has such a simple shape, and the landscape is all horizontals. I can imagine the photographer out there trying to find a good spot to snap this shot. It looks like they took two images in the hopes of capturing the place. It reminds me that art is often a negotiation between the artist and the world and not just this grand statement. There's something really satisfying about how this scene can be captured in shades of brown and the simple, almost melancholic, composition of it all. I think it's a reminder that artists are always building on what came before. Whether it's a painting or a photograph, we’re all in this big conversation, influencing each other across time. And in that spirit, you keep creating with whatever you have to hand.