Rain Sculpture, Salt Creek Cañon, Utah 1872

William Bell captured “Rain Sculpture, Salt Creek Cañon, Utah” using photography, during an era when the American West was both a landscape and a concept undergoing intense construction. As part of the Wheeler Survey, Bell's photographs were not merely documentation; they were tools used to define and claim territory. Consider how Bell, as a photographer working for the U.S. government, participated in shaping the narrative of the West. His images highlight the geological drama of the landscape, yet they often obscure the complex histories and displacement of indigenous peoples. The "sculpture" of the land, attributed to natural forces like rain, conveniently erases the human impact and historical presence. Bell’s photographs invite us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in landscape photography and the role of the photographer in framing not just what we see, but also how we understand the land and its stories. It reminds us that every image is a choice, a perspective, and potentially, a statement of power.