My triptych aims to portray the hidden details that people often ignore or overlook. It will inspire the audience to see the beauty hidden in plain sight. In our daily lives, we are always swamped with work, and even when we can relax, we spend time on our electronic devices; thus, my triptych will encourage people to see, observe, and appreciate the world around them.

My final triptych will conflict with my original vision. While I once believed that buildings, paintings, and remnants of the past were better than nature, I now see it differently: like photography, there are no such things as “good,” “bad,” or “better.” It’s all about the goal. My goal for my triptych is to include elements of haphazardness, chaos, and messiness, while also presenting order, structure, and grandeur, evoking a sense of disoriented beauty in the images. Therefore, as long as my triptych fits my goal and new vision—whether it features architecture or nature—it will be the most appropriate triptych I can create.

Although I personally believe the triptych matches the goal, the haphazardness of the grass creates a sense of chaos, while the straightness of the plants conveys a sense of structure and order. The meaning, however, is difficult to interpret without context. Instead, the meaning of the triptych is often misunderstood as representing the “meaning of life” or a similar concept. However, some people still believe the triptych represents chaos or order, which aligns with my original intention when creating it.

Who inspired me to create this triptych, especially in this style? Aaron Siskind inspired me to capture photos of unnoticed, overlooked objects, as his work often focuses on the corners of architecture that people typically ignore. But then, as I looked at Harry Callahan’s work as my second set of inspiration, I realized that while focusing on overlooked corners is good, I shouldn’t limit myself to architecture. Harry Callahan photographs a variety of subjects. Just like in the ‘Wrong!’ unit we studied, we shouldn’t judge whether a photo is good or not. Therefore, we shouldn’t settle on a single subject for a photoshoot or consider that subject to be the best (in my personal opinion). Instead, we should photograph different subjects and decide which is the most “appropriate” for the theme under the circumstances.

When I took the photos, I tried to place my camera at different angles and positions to capture various images of the same subject. I also used different levels of clarity and zoom to control which elements I wanted to include in the composition and which I wanted to exclude. These strategies benefited me in the final editing process because I didn’t need to adjust many aspects to achieve a simple, clear view of the photos.

Thinking about this triptych, I now realize I haven’t fully explored the basic concept of abstract photography. Yes, I have photographed texture and patterns, but I still have many other interesting styles to explore. For example, out-of-focus techniques, motion blur, and manipulation of exposure…etc. In the future, I want to explore abstract photography further and capture my surroundings and the world in new ways.

https://www.jacksonfineart.com/artists/harry-callahan/rhode-island-grasses/

I found this photo particularly interesting in Harry’s collection. The patterns of the grass, formed by different lines, create a strong sense of order and stability with a chaotic vibe. The grass gives an initial impression of messiness, while the patterns convey a sense of order and structure. These two contrasting concepts merge in this photo, evoking a sense of calmness that arises from the interplay of chaos, structure, and the timeless quality of the black-and-white tone. Among all these elements, I believe the patterns contribute the most to the sense of solemnity. They add texture and establish a sense of orderliness. This order contrasts with the chaos in the photo, and combined with the ancient feel conveyed by the texture and tone, it creates a sense of solemnity.

https://www.moma.org/collection/works/125491

Harry Callahan – Wall (1945)
byu/bil_sabab inSmorgasbordBizarre

https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/106PG5

https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/106PHF

https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/106PFZ

https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/114SR7

Lake Michigan by Harry Callahan (1950)

Explanation:

The contact sheet:

Yellow Selections:

Green Selections:

I then chose the green selections from my yellow selections. I made these choices based on my vision, aiming to explore the combination of chaos and order. These images demonstrate Harry Callahan’s use of texture and pattern to show chaos and order. The patterns—of the floor, wood, grass, and wall—and textures—wood and floor—are used together to demonstrate my vision: the combination of chaos and order.

Red Selections:

I eventually decided to choose these images as my red selections, as they represent both Harry’s orderly and chaotic style. The flat surface and the lines evoke a sense of structure and orderliness, while the scratches and broken layers outside evoke a sense of chaos.

Aaron Siskind

Aaron Siskind

Aaron Siskind

Aaron Siskind

https://www.ideelart.com/magazine/aaron-siskind

https://www.icp.org/search-results/Aaron%20Siskind/all/all/relevant/0

https://www.icp.org/search-results/Aaron%20Siskind/all/all/relevant/0

https://www.icp.org/search-results/Aaron%20Siskind/all/all/relevant/0

https://www.artnet.com/artists/aaron-siskind/north-carolina-28-a-YZlPH9LidacbUGAtaUCVjg2

I found this photo particularly interesting in Siskind’s collection. Compared to his other photographs, the patterns of the blocks, formed by different shapes, create a strong sense of solemnity within an overall chaotic vibe. The torn paper with block images gives an initial impression of messiness, while focusing solely on the blocks conveys a sense of order and structure. These two contrasting concepts merge in this photo, evoking a sense of calmness that arises from the interplay of chaos, structure, and the timeless quality of the black-and-white tone. Among all these elements, I believe the patterns contribute the most to the sense of solemnity. They add texture and establish a sense of orderliness. This order contrasts with the chaos in the photo, and combined with the ancient feel conveyed by the texture and tone, it creates a sense of solemnity.

The list:

The photos all seem to share at least two common traits: texture and tone. I think Siskind uses these elements to create an atmosphere of antiquity. The texture, often seen in missing materials or unique ‘textures’ not originally present on the wall, conveys a sense of age in the photos (#1, #3, #5, #9). Meanwhile, the black-and-white tone evokes a feeling of oldness, as such tones are often associated with the past (all photos). Furthermore, Siskind seems to have a particular interest in depicting the chaotic nature of his subjects—he could have simply photographed a wall in images #1, #2, #4, #5, and #9, but instead, he chose to capture the messy, disorganized state of otherwise ordered, structured objects.

Paragraph of explanation:

The photographer I chose is an abstract photographer who focuses on small details that others might overlook. But why are his photos considered abstract? As mentioned, Aaron Siskind prefers to capture details such as the texture of architecture. In the nine examples, all but picture #6, which focuses solely on architecture, prominently feature texture—his primary focus. Siskind’s style, which I find fascinating and unique, involves zooming in and angling the camera to capture images with elements of order. Yet, by focusing on damaged or broken walls, this sense of order is layered with a feeling of chaos. This approach makes Siskind’s photographs abstract, as he uniquely combines the concepts of chaos and order by zooming in on different architectural traits.

Siskind once said, “When I make a photograph, I want it to be an altogether new object, complete and self-contained, whose basic condition is order,” and “Ambiguity may be the clue: there is the material, and there am I intruding my private intent… strong tensions are inevitable, pleasurable and disturbing.” These quotes align with my interpretation. Siskind, as I discovered, always ensures that there is a layer of orderliness inside his photographs: “…basic condition is order.” He also believes that a pleasurable photograph may be inevitably disturbing—chaotic—matching the chaotic layer in his photographs.

(Photo Quotes, photoquotes.com/author/aaron-siskind)

I chose Aaron Siskind as my inspiration because his vision aligns closely with mine. My goal is to focus on the small architectural details that are often overlooked in daily life. Siskind captures both textures and broader architectural elements, which resonates with my aim to explore the hidden details beneath the surface. Additionally, I believe that my photographs should balance elements of order and chaos, a concept that also appears in Siskind’s work. To adapt his style to my own photography, I would begin by closely observing the patterns, colors, and textures of walls and architecture, seeking out the coexistence of order and chaos. I would then zoom in on these details, experimenting with different camera angles.

The contact sheet:

The Yellow Selections:

I filtered the yellow selections mainly for the theme of architecture. For this selection, I did not choose photos based on my personal vision; instead, I selected them based on a general theme of architecture—where as long as the photos were clearly visible and aligned with the theme, they passed. I also used the yellow selection to differentiate the visually appealing photos, which I then used as a benchmark to determine which sets would move on to the green and red categories. Additionally, the yellow selections helped me refine my ideas for the final red selections—establishing the desired vibe and understanding how the red selections differ from others—by adjusting the contrast, exposure, highlights, shadows, etc., of each yellow photo.

The Green Selections:

I then chose the green selections from my yellow selections. I made these choices based on my vision, aiming to explore the combination of chaos and order, creating a sense of antiquity that ultimately evokes a feeling of solemnity through the merging of these elements. The first six pictures primarily focus on the chaotic aspect, where the chaos—represented by the paintings—overlays the order and patterns of the brick walls. These images demonstrate the texture of Siskind’s photography, showcasing how he often prioritizes the chaotic elements as a visible first layer, with the more orderly aspects forming a foundational second layer. The second-to-last picture also fits this definition. The remaining images emphasize order and structure. Like Siskind’s photos #2, #3, #7, and #8, they place greater emphasis on contrasting chaos and establishing a hierarchy within the ordered or structural elements. Unlike the first set of images, these tend to focus more on order than chaos.

The Red Selections:

Evaluation of the #1 red image:

The dot in the center creates a strong hierarchy, capturing the audience’s attention, while the surrounding lighting and shadows add contrast subtly. This hierarchy conveys a sense of order and structure, guiding the audience to the photo’s focal point. The circular shape of the dot also contributes to this sense of hierarchy. The contrast in lighting and shadows not only adds visual interest due to their structured positioning but also introduces a touch of chaos. The texture of the floor and the black-and-white tone evoke a sense of antiquity. This combination of ancientness, chaos, and order/structure comes together to create a sense of solemnity, aligning with my vision.

I eventually decided to choose the more orderly images as my red selections, as they represent both Siskind’s architectural style and his focus on textures. Additionally, I believe that these two red images, despite their similarity in traits, will be useful in my final presentation because they contain more photographic elements than the others—such as texture, shape, tone, line, and hierarchy.

During the process of taking photos, I gradually realized that my selections of Siskind’s work were not very consistent, which posed a challenge. Which traits or elements in these photos should I prioritize? Sometimes, I captured imposing buildings to reflect the theme of order; at other times, I focused on stable scenes, but I also photographed street art to represent chaos. Because the general themes of the photos I selected from Siskind were not the best matches, it affected the final quality and outcome of my selections. Next time, I will aim to design a better plan, conduct more research, and establish clearer goals.

The hidden magic in plain sight:

The message of my triptych will inspire the audience to see the beautiful architecture, the texture of them to be specific, hidden beneath the sight. In our daily lives, we are always swamped with work, and even if we can relax, we spend time on our electronic devices; thus, my triptych would encourage people to see, observe, and appreciate the world around us. Many people, in this case, would believe nature would be the best option for us to lock our eyes on – which I do not disagree with but wish to address a different claim; I believe the buildings, the paintings, the remnants of past(the textures), ancient or not, are the most gorgeous things and we should give it the respect and attention it deserves. Therefore, in this case, I wish the audience, after seeing my presentation, would have an entirely different perspective on those common traits of society in our daily lives. For my presentation, instead of trying to evoke a sense of structure, imposingness, and order like other artists often do, I would try my best to depict a world and take images that are intentionally captured to include elements of haphazard, chaotic, and messy, but presents the order and structure and the imposingness of them hidden beneath the surface to the audiences. Looking at the pictures, despite the element of order, structure, and imposingness under the look of haphazard, chaotic, and messy, I would also like to evoke a sense of disoriented beauty in the pictures, leading to a feeling of fascination and combining with the awe that comes from the imposingness I also tried to evoke, eventually leading toward the complexed but simple feeling of “awe” towards the world, the buildings surrounding us in daily. In my research, I would find photographers who focus on the countryside and the daily, “ordinary” architecture surrounding us and explore the vast universe of the beauty and lies beneath – the things that we scan through with our eyes and ignore. In simple words, I wish to find abstract photographers who see the world differently and explore the magic architecture possesses. We need to see the world around us more and notice its beauty instead of spending our free time on our devices.