The Conduit House before 1912

This is Conduit House, a photograph by Henry W. Taunt. The limited tonal range emphasises structure and form, like a drawing, almost, and it reminds me that artmaking is as much about subtraction as addition; what you take away is as important as what you leave in. The image is of a stone building. The surface of the stone looks rough, aged by weather, with dark crevices that suggest wear and erosion, while the architecture itself is simple, functional. It's the kind of building that settles into the landscape, becoming part of it. The sky, rendered in shades of grey, is overcast, conveying a somber, quiet mood, like a day about to rain. I'm reminded of the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher in its rigorous, almost clinical approach to documenting architectural forms, but with a softer, more nostalgic touch. Ultimately, this image isn’t about perfect representation, but about capturing a feeling, a sense of place and time, acknowledging that seeing is always subjective and coloured by emotion.