Santa Monica No. 17

In Santa Monica No. 17, Ken Evans delivers a visual meditation on surface, structure, and gesture through a tightly composed study of desert flora. A single leaf, rising upward in a gentle curl, becomes the focal point of this composition - a sculptural moment caught in a pause between growth and stillness. As with many works in the Santa Monica Series, this image transcends botany and leans into abstraction, transforming a humble plant into a dramatic, architectural form. What makes this piece particularly evocative is its invitation to consider touch as much as sight. The surface textures - delicately mottled, dusted with natural patina - are rendered in exquisite fidelity, making the leaf appear both leathery and velvet-like. The light, raking across the tops of the leaves, sculpts them into layers that fold, recede, and emerge, like drapery carved in stone. The use of monochrome amplifies this effect, replacing color with tone and dimension. By allowing a single curled form to rise amid a densely packed cluster, Evans introduces a narrative of emergence - of individuality asserting itself in an otherwise uniform crowd. The photograph has a restrained elegance, one that feels timeless and contemplative, reminiscent of Edward Weston’s intimate organic studies or the formal grace of Karl Blossfeldt’s botanical typologies. Santa Monica No. 17 bridges modernist formalism with contemporary photographic sensibility. Its sculptural simplicity and graphic impact make it especially well-suited to minimalist interiors or curated collections exploring the intersection of nature and design. As part of the broader Santa Monica Series, it provides a moment of tactile intimacy - an anchor of form amid more gestural works in the collection. It is a photograph that invites return viewings, revealing new contours of beauty with each encounter. This print is carefully crafted to ensure the highest quality and detail, bringing the image to life in your hands and on your walls. Perfect for art enthusiasts, collectors, or simply to add a touch of elegance to your space that will last for generations.