Buildings, Orizaba, Mexico 19th-20th century

Curator: Looking at "Buildings, Orizaba, Mexico" by Denman Waldo Ross, I’m struck by the breezy, almost dreamlike quality of the watercolor. Editor: Immediately, I see a tension between the built environment and the natural landscape, all created through very economical material gestures. The roofs, a burst of rusty reds, seem almost to merge with the mountains behind. Curator: The artist captures the scene with such a light touch, doesn't he? It feels like a memory fading at the edges. The layers upon layers are gorgeous! Editor: The artist's hand is evident. The visible brushstrokes and the thin washes of color tell a story of process—the materiality of the paper and pigment are crucial here, pointing to a specific kind of labor and artistic practice. Curator: It makes me wonder what Ross was thinking when he painted it. Was it a fleeting moment, or a scene he returned to again and again? Editor: Perhaps he was drawn to the interaction between the materials readily available to him, and how the landscape and architecture of Orizaba offered their own unique materials for contemplation. Curator: Exactly. It’s like a visual poem, isn't it? Editor: Indeed, a poem written in paper, pigment, and place.