Tutucanula, El Capitan, 4000 Feet 1861

Editor: So, this is Carleton Watkins' "Tutucanula, El Capitan, 4000 Feet" from 1861, an albumen print. It's really striking, almost monumental in its depiction of Yosemite. What’s your take on this work? Curator: This photograph isn't just a landscape; it's a complex visual document embedded in a fraught history of westward expansion and environmental transformation. Watkins, through his work, undeniably participated in promoting an idea of "untouched" wilderness that directly clashed with the experiences of the indigenous populations already inhabiting that very landscape. How can we, today, reconcile the undeniable beauty and skill in this photograph with the historical context of dispossession? Editor: That's a heavy point. I guess I was seeing it more as a romantic depiction of nature. So, the focus on westward expansion... Does it make this beauty somehow 'wrong'? Curator: It isn't about declaring beauty wrong. Rather, it’s about interrogating whose perspective is centered and whose is marginalized in these seemingly objective representations of nature. This image played a significant role in Yosemite's designation as a park, which also displaced Native communities. It's vital to understand this dynamic – the simultaneous appreciation of nature and the erasure of indigenous presence. Consider the impact of photographic technologies of the time. How did their proliferation reinforce a certain narrative? Editor: It feels like I was looking at it through completely the wrong lens. Thinking about the narratives it reinforces is crucial. I'll definitely consider the indigenous erasure and technological aspects in future. Thank you. Curator: Exactly! By understanding its original context, the visual beauty turns into a dialogue. The layers make it that much more valuable and complex.