Untitled 262, 263, 070 1999

This gelatin silver print by Carl Chiarenza presents three panels of black and white photographic collage, and the artist's process feels like a kind of alchemic transformation. I imagine Chiarenza in the darkroom, coaxing these ghostly forms into being. What materials did he use? Paper, foil, fabric, maybe even found objects, carefully arranged and lit to create these layered landscapes? The textures are so varied, from the crinkled foil mountains to the soft, cloud-like textures in between. The shapes suggest something mountainous and natural, but, with the various textures, the naturalistic element disappears. I feel his hand in the composition, as if he's building up a world from scraps and shadows. Maybe this is his way of talking to other artists who work with landscape, like Georgia O'Keeffe. Ultimately, this piece is not about a specific place, but more about how we construct images and meaning from the world around us. It's a reminder that art is always a conversation, a layering of ideas and experiences that continues to evolve.