Cape Cod 1972

Editor: So, this is Harry Callahan's "Cape Cod," a black and white photograph from the Harvard Art Museums. It's mostly sand, and there's something so desolate and still about it. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Desolate is a good word. For me, it's a study in texture and light. Callahan coaxes such nuance out of seemingly simple subjects, doesn't he? It’s like he’s whispering secrets of the universe through grains of sand. Editor: Secrets? Like what kind of secrets? Curator: The kind that linger just beyond the reach of words. Perhaps the quiet drama of existence. It almost feels like a minimalist painting. Editor: I never thought of it that way. It's definitely more than just a picture of sand. Curator: Exactly! It’s a meditation.