Andr Kertsz: Chez Mondrian, Paris

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André Kertész called this photo Chez Mondrian, Paris in 1926. The composition is neatly divided in half. On the left of the photo is the interior of the room in which Kertész stood, showing Mondrian's straw hat on a peg and a table with a artificial flower in a vase on the edge of the table, as if Kertész moved it to include it in the frame. On the right, seen through a doorway, the curving banister and stairs soften the profusion of right angles and straight lines in the foyer, as if to invite you in. Everything in the Photo is geometrical. I think the meaning of the photo is to give a different point of view to the entrance way of the Mondrian. He takes it straight on, nothing is hidden and you feel invited in. He wants people to feel warm and make them want to come inside. In the photo there is a lot of contrast in the values. The dark colors and the shadows are juxtaposed toward each other. There aren’t many blacks, the colors range in the gray zones. Color isn’t the only thing that is contrasting in the photo. The circular and curves of the hat, vase, and stairs contrast with the rectangular shapes of the floor, doorways, and tables. The clarity and the focus on the picture are clear. My focus goes directly to the vase. There seems to be a light source directly on it that is making it cast a shadow, maybe from a near by window on the right side of the photo. The composition keeps your eyes going around the photo. The photo is symmetrical and the way things are staged creates contrast and makes the picture interesting to look at. This photo is successful because the subject, composition, and technique make the picture what it is. I chose this picture because it stood out. It said something to me, made me look twice. Even thought the picture does not have any color, the values of grey and shadows make it interesting. André Kertész photo impacted art world

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