The artwork “Feet 102” by Aaron Siskind dates back to 1957 and belongs to the Abstract Expressionism movement. It is a photographic work that juxtaposes the organic form against a stark, featureless background, emphasizing the contrasts in textures and curves inherent to the subject.
The artwork itself presents a close-up view of what appears to be the human form, isolated to such an extent that it borders on abstraction. The painstaking focus on contours and the interplay of light and shadow transform the body into a landscape of organic shapes, devoid of immediate context, where the identity of the form becomes secondary to the aesthetic experience it provides. One can observe the emphasis on textures, the sculptural quality of the form, and how it seems to both emerge from and recede into the negative space surrounding it. This piece is a quintessential example of how Siskind’s work often bridges the gap between photography and painting, inviting viewers to interpret the shapes as purely abstract forms rather than literal representations.
