Poplars, Harney County, Oregon Possibly 1999 - 2005

Curator: Looking at Robert Adams’ gelatin silver print, "Poplars, Harney County, Oregon", possibly taken between 1999 and 2005. Editor: My first impression is of stark monumentality, a kind of primal force conveyed through this stark monochrome rendering. Curator: The scale, particularly given its potential printing date, is important. Silver gelatin prints are created by a chemical process, exposing photographic paper. Here, we are reminded of the materiality involved, of manual labor transforming image into physical object, with that beautiful chemical granularity visible. The Oregon landscape is not simply captured, but presented as crafted matter, not far from heavy industry. Editor: Absolutely. Beyond the industrial undertones, the tree itself resonates with symbolism. Two trunks melding into one…It calls to mind ancient mythical pairings, sacred groves. Trees often signify interconnectedness, the cycle of life and death. Curator: And consider the cultural context of landscape photography at this time. Adams engaged in representing landscapes impacted by industry, but framing this environmental disruption in an elegiac tone. What do we consume when we observe nature itself? What raw materials were used in its making? The trees, reduced to light and shadow on a processed silver surface, speak volumes about commodification. Editor: I see that—the awareness of the photograph *as* commodity is powerful. But there's also a deeper resonance in the tree as a symbol. Its black-and-white rendering amplifies its primal nature, almost evoking a timeless quality, stripped bare, beyond surface concerns with extraction. Perhaps even speaking of survival in harsh climes. Curator: Maybe. However, by rendering that struggle so visibly with this technique, Adams reveals his awareness of what is going into its creation, the labour involved. Editor: Fascinating – you bring up valid points on the materials utilized. I still see something primordial. The stark contrast and intertwined form conjure up a kind of eternal presence beyond those physical concerns. Curator: I’ll concede the photo allows that symbolic interpretation while very self-aware of material practices, but ultimately for me this rests in Adams’s own critique of those human acts shaping landscapes. Editor: Agreed. Considering the weight each layer offers enriches this landscape even further.