Edward Weston
1886–1958 · United States
Form in the things close at hand.
The story
Weston moved from portrait work towards photographic explorations based on precise forms and textures. He worked in the United States and Mexico, where his path crossed that of Tina Modotti. Shells, vegetables, nudes and landscapes became subjects of investigation. By connecting very different objects through their curves or textures, his images invite us to see the familiar differently without reducing it to a simple symbol.
Understanding the work
First observe the masses and transitions of light, before naming the object. A plant surface may evoke a body, but the image also retains its own materiality.
Key works and series
Pepper No. 30; shells; dunes; nudes.
Sources & further exploration
Works in collections.
10 recordsPhotographs to explore on museum and library websites, with titles, dates and processes. Each link opens the collection record and its image where one is available.
