Blades of Light

About this piece

Mike Gedj’s close study of overlapping foliage brings fine parallel fibers and tiny reddish teeth into view. Luminous greens, pale bands, and warm shadowed intervals turn the tightly cropped leaves into a layered composition of verticals and diagonals.

The story

I moved close enough for the leaves to fill the frame, letting the wider setting fall away. What held my attention was the contrast between their luminous surfaces and the small teeth along their edges. Each blade carried a slightly different green, from yellow at the lightest points to deep shade between the layers. I framed the crossing lines as a way into that small, dense world, where even the shadows seemed to have color.