Entrance Cascade, Watkins Glen 1860 - 1868

Curator: This stereograph, titled "Entrance Cascade, Watkins Glen," was captured sometime between 1860 and 1868. It is credited to Purviance and is currently held at The Art Institute of Chicago. The technique uses a photographic print with silver to offer us a vivid scene. Editor: The falls look like liquid mercury caught in a mossy vise! There's something otherworldly about the composition; a gateway maybe, or perhaps a grotto hiding deep secrets. Curator: Well, think about the rise of landscape photography in the 19th century in the United States. It wasn't just about pretty pictures; it was deeply intertwined with notions of Manifest Destiny and the exploitation of natural resources. Consider how these romanticized depictions of nature masked the displacement of indigenous communities and the environmental costs of industrialization. Editor: That's an important consideration. On a symbolic level, the cascade itself, with its forceful downward flow, embodies themes of transformation and cleansing. Water, after all, holds potent associations with purification and renewal across various cultures. Note how the water reshapes the land; the constant flow also speaks of time and enduring power, yes? Curator: Absolutely, and don't overlook how stereographs themselves functioned. The technology offered a sort of democratization of experiencing faraway places, however, there’s a troubling lack of engagement with the systemic injustices woven into the expansion reflected in such imagery. What responsibility did the artist have for the greater implications? Editor: This touches on ideas of ownership and the male gaze... The falls might symbolize femininity; being viewed as a source of pleasure, commodified, conquered, perhaps... or it may celebrate nature’s strength; consider that the symbolism always depends upon the context and individual experience of viewing it. What is obvious to me might be utterly lost on you. Curator: Indeed. So, the real work, even centuries later, involves digging beneath the surface. This simple-seeming photo really complicates assumptions and biases to consider. Editor: It invites us to be mindful and consider our roles as observers. A nice moment of contemplation about more than pretty pictures!