Scarlet in Suspension

About this piece

Mike Gedj frames a hanging heliconia in close detail, its scarlet bracts alternating across a luminous green background. Fine yellow rims and dark, textured interiors interrupt the glossy surfaces, while a broad veined leaf anchors the right edge.

The story

I moved close enough for the surrounding foliage to soften into green, leaving the heliconia’s red tiers to fill the frame. What held my attention was not only their brilliance, but the darker material sheltered inside each fold. Along those narrow yellow edges, the plant seemed both precise and weathered. I composed around the alternating points, letting the broad leaf at the right hold steady against their outward reach.