Colorado Springs, Colorado Possibly 1969 - 1984

Robert Adams made this photograph in Colorado Springs, and it captures a moment, maybe a feeling, about the American West. What I love is the way the bare bones of the house are laid out for us, a kind of skeleton still waiting for its skin. The emptiness is powerful, right? Like a stage set before the actors arrive. The light is flat, almost indifferent, not romanticizing anything. Look at the street sign sticking up, almost comically ordinary against the vast landscape. It reminds me of Edward Hopper, the way he finds beauty in the mundane, the quiet sadness of everyday life. Adams seems to be doing something similar here, showing us the stark reality of progress. It's not pretty, but it's real. Art isn't about easy answers; it's about asking the questions.