Lakewood, Colorado Possibly 1973 - 2008

Robert Adams made this photograph, Lakewood, Colorado, sometime in the 20th century; there is an interesting interplay of light and dark, soft and hard, interior and reflection. The composition is like a stage set, isn't it? There's a certain stillness, a quiet observation of the everyday. The contrast is soft, the light diffused, as if Adams is trying to capture not just the objects, but the atmosphere, the feeling of being in this space. Notice how the mirror becomes a window, reflecting another part of the room, complicating our sense of depth. The TV and beanbag chair sit in contrast to the piano and the lamp above. The overall effect gives a sense of quiet contemplation. This picture shares a bit with the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher, who also documented the mundane, but in a very different way. Adams has a gentler, more poetic touch, don't you think? It reminds us that art isn't just about grand gestures, but about finding beauty in the ordinary.