Denver, Colorado [recto] 1980

Editor: So, this is Robert Adams's "Denver, Colorado" from 1980, a black and white photograph. It strikes me as a really curious blend of the ordinary and something more...almost unsettling. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's more than meets the eye, isn’t it? Adams' work, particularly this image, forces us to confront the intersection of development and nature. It's not just a portrait; it's a study in the ethics of landscape, capitalism, and their effects on the American West. Look at how the subject is positioned amongst flowers for sale against the backdrop of skyscrapers. Editor: I noticed that juxtaposition. Is he making a statement about the commodification of nature, the cost of urban growth? Curator: Exactly! Adams’ unflinching gaze implicates all of us in this transformation. Who profits, and who loses when natural landscapes are turned into commercial spaces? What kind of labor supports this commerce? How are social classes implicated? The "1.49 each" sign is hard to miss, and forces these questions. And think about who is buying, selling, profiting in this photograph. What do you make of the averted gaze of the man? Editor: Perhaps discomfort or maybe even complicity. I hadn't considered it that way before, as an act of social critique. Curator: It’s an invitation to confront uncomfortable truths. Adams encourages a dialogue around our relationship to land, economy, and each other. What does the idea of "Denver" in the 1980s represent in that moment of environmental transformation? Editor: Wow, I see it completely differently now. Thanks! Curator: Likewise, a really insightful comment to the man's gaze!