Cig Harvey's Three Apricots (Wet) from 2023 presents three luminous orange apricots arranged in a dark pedestal bowl, their moisture-glistened surfaces catching light with ethereal quality. The British-born, Maine-based photographer transforms this simple still life into a profound meditation on time and beauty.

Known for finding mysticism in the mundane, Harvey brings exceptional technical mastery to this classical composition. The fruits' warm golden-orange hues create striking contrast against the dark bowl, while water droplets enhance their natural luminosity and suggest both freshness and impending decay. Her large-format color photography captures extraordinary detail and saturation, making the apricots appear to glow from within.

The work operates within centuries of still life tradition, particularly resonating with seventeenth-century Dutch vanitas paintings where fruits symbolized life's transience. Harvey's photograph functions as contemporary memento mori, beautifully vibrant yet reminding viewers of nature's ephemerality. The apricots' delicate nature and brief seasonal availability make them ideal subjects for contemplating temporality, while the moisture specifically captures a fleeting moment that cannot be sustained.

Harvey's artistic philosophy centers on heightened awareness and emotional engagement. She explains her pictures serve as reminders to pay attention to today, asking "How can I get you to look? How can I live more?" In our age of constant digital distraction, this work invites contemplative pause.

The photograph exemplifies Harvey's ability to transform ordinary moments into extraordinary revelations about human experience. Through her lens, three simple fruits become profound statements about the preciousness of present moments and the enduring power of careful observation, encouraging viewers to find magic in everyday life.