The Fork 1928

Andre Kertesz made this photograph, "The Fork", with his camera. The stark black and white tones lend a graphic quality to the image and invite you to consider the everyday. It is through these mundane objects that Kertesz encourages us to find beauty in simplicity. He has paid particular attention to the textures of the plate and the fork, and the shadow of the fork which mimics and flattens the object itself. The shadow cast by the fork is so sharp, it almost feels as if it could be a second fork, made only of ink. I always think of Man Ray when I see this photograph, the way he uses light and shadow to transform ordinary objects into surreal compositions. Kertesz and Man Ray both embraced the spirit of experimentation, demonstrating that art is not just about representation, but also about seeing the world in new and unexpected ways.