Hidden Valley, looking Southwest Possibly 1977 - 1978

"Hidden Valley, looking Southwest" is a black and white photograph by Lewis Baltz, taken sometime between 1977 and 1978. It showcases the artist's signature style of New Topographics, capturing a stark landscape with a minimalist approach, emphasizing the built environment and its interaction with nature. The photograph depicts a single-story house nestled against a rocky hill, with distant, hazy mountains in the background. The subject matter is unpopulated, giving the viewer a sense of isolation and vastness in the American West. Baltz’s meticulous attention to detail and the photograph's stark composition emphasize the unvarnished reality of the landscape, prompting viewers to consider the effects of development and human impact on the natural world.