Bernina-Scharte und Gipfel, The Engadine 1921

Curator: This gelatin silver print, titled "Bernina-Scharte und Gipfel, The Engadine" by A.G. Wehrli, captures a stark mountain peak. Editor: It's formidable! The composition is dominated by this imposing, almost aggressively textured mountain face. Curator: Precisely. The stark contrast between the snow and rock formations creates a powerful visual dichotomy. Consider also the scale. Editor: Yes, and I find myself wondering about the colonial gaze implied in this image, given the era and the romanticization of untouched landscapes. Who had access to these remote locations and whose stories are missing? Curator: An interesting point. However, I think the composition speaks primarily of the inherent beauty found in the natural architecture. Editor: And yet, even beauty is not apolitical. Looking closely, I see both the sublime and a reminder of the power structures inherent in landscape representation.