A.O.N.B. (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) 1982 - 1984

Editor: This is Keith Arnatt’s photograph, A.O.N.B. (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). I’m struck by the contrast between the rural landscape and the mundane presence of the trash cans. What do you make of this juxtaposition? Curator: The work's power lies in its engagement with the means of production. Here, Arnatt draws attention to the labor involved in constructing "natural beauty." The very idea of an "area of outstanding natural beauty" is manufactured, a social construct. These bins highlight labor, waste, and consumption in the British landscape tradition. Editor: So, you're saying it’s about the process of defining and maintaining beauty, not just the image itself? Curator: Precisely. It's about challenging the boundaries between what we consider "high art" and the everyday realities of material existence. Editor: I see. It's a lot more complex than just trash in a field. Thanks, that gives me a lot to think about. Curator: My pleasure. It prompts us to think about our consumption of imagery and landscape.