Terksol Glacier on the East Side of Mt. Elbruz, Central Caucasus c. 1889

Editor: Vittorio Sella's photograph captures the Terksol Glacier on Mount Elbrus. The stark contrast between the dark, rocky slope and the bright glacier is quite striking. What sociopolitical context shapes how we view this image today? Curator: Consider the romanticization of untouched landscapes during the period this photograph was taken, juxtaposed with our current awareness of glacial retreat. What does it mean to aestheticize a landscape that is actively disappearing due to climate change, especially given the Caucasus region's complex geopolitical history? Editor: That gives me a lot to think about. I see the photograph differently now. Curator: Good. The act of seeing is never neutral.