Telegraph Poles c. 1900

Clarence H. White created "Telegraph Poles" using a photogravure sometime between 1898 and 1905, during a period of rapid industrial expansion in America. White was a founding member of the Photo-Secession movement, and his aesthetic sought to establish photography as a fine art. "Telegraph Poles" pictures a scene of urban development. On the left of the image, various signs for local business and produce stand near a set of stairs. The dirt path leads to a small body of water lined with telegraph poles. This canal cuts between the infrastructure on either side and reflects the buildings that line it. White's work reflects the shifting relationship between humanity and technology during the turn of the century. As a teacher, White influenced a generation of photographers. His focus on emotional effect over technical precision offered an alternative to traditionally masculine values of efficiency and progress. This image reminds us of the complex ways in which technology mediates our relationship to nature and to each other.