Der Fleck auf dem Spiegel, den der Atemhauch schafft (Breath Mark on the Mirror) 1977

This photographic print is by Dieter Appelt. It's called 'Breath Mark on the Mirror', and the artist has captured a self-portrait of sorts in shadowy monochrome. Imagine Appelt exhaling onto the glass, the moisture momentarily obscuring his features. It’s a fleeting act, and the image suggests a moment of contemplation or perhaps a search for identity. I am totally in sympathy with him. The hazy breath is a gesture that feels both vulnerable and defiant. In art, smudging and blurring are the opposite of crispness and focus. It’s about embracing imperfection, change, and ephemerality. It is very intimate and inward-looking, but also reaching out to an audience. Isn't all art an invitation into the artist's inner sanctum? I am reminded that all of us artists are in an ongoing conversation, responding to each other across time and space. The way Appelt explores themes of time and memory resonates with my own artistic concerns. He inspires my creativity.