Overzicht van het verloop van de zonsondergang gezien vanaf Mount Hamilton te Californië 1893 - 1895

Curator: This is A.L. Colton’s "Overzicht van het verloop van de zonsondergang gezien vanaf Mount Hamilton te Californië," a series of sunset photographs taken between 1893 and 1895. Editor: It's striking how Colton methodically captures these sunsets! The layout, like pages from a science manual, seems more empirical than artistic. What can we interpret from this approach? Curator: Exactly! The photogram print medium situates it firmly within a scientific context. Notice how Colton is breaking down a natural phenomenon into discrete units, almost commodifying the sunset as data. Think about the labor involved in producing each print, the repetitive process. It’s almost an assembly line of sunsets, mirroring the industrial mindset of the time. What do you make of that stark contrast? Editor: I see what you mean! It almost feels like he is mass-producing something fleeting. And I suppose photography at the time was less about artistic expression, and more about accurately documenting things? Curator: Precisely. And the choice of typeface – sans serif and clear - only adds to that scientific feel, as if he’s actively trying to minimize artistic flourishes. Consider the accessibility of this approach to capturing nature as a manufactured product rather than simply seeing it. Editor: I hadn't considered how the very *act* of photographing and presenting these sunsets reflected broader industrial themes. Thanks, that gives me a lot to think about! Curator: And for me, it highlights how the means of production subtly influence our perceptions of art and nature itself. A seemingly straightforward landscape study ends up being a mirror to its socio-economic context.