Reflections and blue rock. Corporate art or art for healthcare?

A "straight" photo of a river in the afternoon. Due to its ambiguous and abstract qualities, we judged it would be better placed in our "Corporate Art" section rather than in the Art for Healthcare section that is vetted for viewing by patients.

Blue rock in the Elk River. Clicking on the photo will take you to its location in the Corporate Art section of the Iris Arts website. Photo: © Donald J. Rommes

This photo is of a river in southern Oregon. The afternoon sun was still fairly high in the sky. The water is shallow in this section of the river, as can be inferred from the river rock sticking out above the water.

While the whole scene is in shade, the reflected trees are in sunlight and they brighten the surface of the water considerably. The river rock is in shade and is illuminated by the cloudless blue sky. The rock is thus quite blue in the RAW file—perhaps unbelievably so in contrast to the reflected trees—so I decreased the blue saturation of the rock when processing the photograph.

The image can be a bit confusing until you get your bearings. Eventually though, you realize you're looking at water illuminated by the reflection of distant sunlight trees. Projecting above the surface of the water is a nearby rock in shade. The contrasts of subjects, distances, and light source, makes for an interesting composition.

When viewed from a distance, the colors and patterns are pleasing—even if the subject is not immediately recognizable. On closer inspection, visible ripples tell you that you are looking at water, the shimmering forms must be a reflection, and the rock is blue because it is in shade.

We at Iris Arts like this kind of image because it doesn't give up all its secrets at once. Pleasing from distance, it becomes even more interesting more closely you inspect it.

Because it can recede into the general decor when ignored —yet reward you with detail when examined closely,—we think it is just the sort of image for the hospitality and corporate environments.

Corporate Art vs Art for Healthcare - in the view of Iris Arts

However, the very qualities that make this image suitable for the corporate or hospitality worlds, disqualify if for parts of the healthcare environment—especially patient care areas. The enigmatic qualities of the photograph require some mental effort to unravel. While that effort is fun for most of us who are healthy, it may confuse people who are ill. That's why we can't vet this sort of photograph image for all areas of the healthcare environment.