Volcano 103 1980

Editor: We're looking at "Volcano 103," a gelatin-silver print from 1980 by Aaron Siskind. The image is dominated by what seems to be hardened lava. There's something really powerful and slightly menacing about the texture and the close-up perspective. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a dialogue between the raw power of nature and Siskind's choice to abstract it through photography. It is important to note how during that era, debates about land use, pollution, and ecological disasters emerged within broader discussions about environmental justice and social inequality. What choices has the photographer made? He intentionally eliminates any sense of scale or traditional landscape markers. Editor: That makes sense. I hadn't thought about it as a conscious act of abstraction with so much meaning embedded within it. It really does push you to reconsider your place within it. Curator: Precisely! The photograph, in this context, becomes a form of activism. What stories do you imagine, for instance, that the land would reveal regarding community resilience? Can a volcanic landscape, even frozen in time by Siskind’s lens, tell a story of resilience? Editor: I can definitely see it. Thank you so much! I’m learning so much more about considering those details and broader meanings when approaching an image like this! Curator: Of course. Looking at this photograph helps us think critically about not only environmental issues but also the intertwined struggles for social and ecological justice. I think the impact is heightened by stripping away so many of the familiar signifiers that define traditional landscape imagery. Editor: I will definitely remember this when I visit another photography exhibition!