Tract House #6 1971

Lewis Baltz made this photograph, Tract House #6, using black and white film. Look at the way he approaches the surface; he crops everything right in, like he’s not interested in being ‘beautiful’ and is more interested in the process of seeing. The photograph has this cool, almost clinical feel, like it's examining the textures and surfaces of these buildings without getting all emotional about it. Baltz really hones in on the material aspects, like the graininess of the asphalt. It’s a study of light and shadow, but also of flatness and depth. There’s this one dark window in the top right corner that feels like a void, a total absence of light, and it really grabs my attention. It's a total mystery. Thinking about other artists, I'm reminded of Ed Ruscha who also looked at architecture in an objective way. Baltz's work, like Ruscha's, resists easy answers. It’s a reminder that art can be about asking questions, not just answering them.