Clatsop County, Oregon 1999 - 2003

Robert Adams created this stark photograph of Clatsop County, Oregon, capturing a clear-cut tree stump against a pale sky. The stump, a brutal symbol of nature's subjugation, rises like a monument. But to what? This motif echoes through time. Consider the beheading of Holofernes by Judith, forever captured by Caravaggio. The severed head is a trophy and a warning, just as this stump stands sentinel. In both images, we see the grim results of human actions. But the tree stump, unlike Holofernes' head, also contains the silent promise of regeneration. The roots, though exposed, cling to the earth, and time will eventually heal this wound. Like the ouroboros, forever eating its own tail, humanity continually destroys and rebuilds in a perpetual cycle. This photograph evokes a powerful, subconscious tension, inviting us to reflect on our place within this cycle.