Equivalent 1925 - 1927

Curator: Here we have a photograph by Alfred Stieglitz, a pivotal figure in the history of photography. This piece, part of his "Equivalent" series, was created between 1925 and 1927. Editor: Mmm, so, a series of cloudscapes, right? It feels immediately like I'm looking up, almost dizzyingly so, at an endless, churning sky. Sort of dramatic, but with a touch of, like, sublime peace lurking in there somewhere. Curator: Exactly. Stieglitz aimed for these cloud photographs to represent his inner emotional states, suggesting that a photograph could symbolize anything—abstract emotions and ideas, not just concrete objects. He challenged the established conventions that defined photography solely as documentation. Editor: Yeah, I dig that. So, no fancy landmarks, no famous faces... just raw feeling translated into light and shadow. It's incredibly poetic for what is essentially just… clouds. Does it smack of a reaction against all those stuffy portraits from the previous century, or am I way off? Curator: Not at all. In a way, Stieglitz was responding to and attempting to elevate the discourse surrounding photography, to situate it among other established fine art forms. The Photo-Secession movement, which he spearheaded, very deliberately wanted to move beyond straightforward documentary work, imbuing photography with artistic intent. Editor: Well, mission accomplished! I see, like, swaths of dark moodiness battling it out with glimpses of pure luminosity. It's moody but meditative. Did Stieglitz plan the shots or did he improvise a bit? Curator: Reports suggest that he would observe the clouds until he found formations that spoke to him, so there was certainly spontaneity to the compositions. Editor: It makes you wonder what he was wrestling with internally. I imagine this kind of sky above when one is feeling the full force of big human experiences: love, loss, grief, and change. And what is black and white, really, but those core emotional extremes? Curator: Very astute, and it is partly this open endedness that keeps drawing viewers back. Editor: It’s fascinating how he distilled such a wide range of complex emotions into a seemingly simple scene. You look at this and, in effect, feel you look *into* it. Curator: Indeed. Stieglitz urged people to connect with his photographs emotionally, fostering an interpretive engagement that endures nearly a century later. Editor: He totally made clouds the Rorschach test of his time! So beautifully evocative and enduring!