In Equivalents, cotton balls were shaped to look like both clouds and various recognizable forms. This photograph was inspired by Alfred Steiglitz’s series of cloud photographs called Equivalents created in the 1920s. Muniz stated that “Stieglitz was definitely one of the most influential American artists….I use images from people I admire….Steiglitz was trying to say that the objective of a photograph is not merely portrayal of a subject, but the rage of symbolic and emotional associations the formal treatment of a subject will bring to the viewer.” In this piece, the form is based on Albrecht Durer’s drawing, Study of Praying Hands done in 1508. “If you look at one of my Equivalent, you will see-depending on how you choose to interpret it-either a lump of cotton or Durer’s praying hands.”

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