Dimensions: image: 29.3 x 23.9 cm (11 9/16 x 9 7/16 in.) mount: 55.8 x 45.8 cm (21 15/16 x 18 1/16 in.)
Copyright: CC0 1.0
Editor: Here we have Samuel Bourne's photograph, "View in Zojji - la Pass, Kashmir." The monumental scale of these mountains is breathtaking, especially considering the limitations of photographic equipment at the time. What stands out to you about this image? Curator: I see the remarkable labor involved in producing this image. Bourne transported heavy equipment to capture this scene. The materiality of the photograph itself – the paper, the chemicals – speaks to a specific historical moment of imperial expansion and resource extraction. Editor: Resource extraction? Curator: Bourne's photographs weren't just aesthetic exercises; they were often commissioned to document resources and infrastructure for the British Empire. Considering that labor and intention changes how we view the image, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Definitely! I had not considered the social context. Thanks for widening my perspective.
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