The Flume, Franconia Notch, N. H. c. 1880s

Curator: This is a captivating image, "The Flume, Franconia Notch, N.H.," by Benjamin West. Editor: Whoa, I immediately feel like I'm about to embark on some wild quest, dodging boulders and leaping over streams! It's like a sepia-toned adventure novel cover. Curator: Indeed. Examining this piece through an intersectional lens, we see more than just a landscape. The construction of pathways and the implied accessibility touch upon themes of land use, environmental impact, and the evolving relationship between humans and nature. Editor: Right? There's this weird tension, like, nature is awesome, but also, let's build stairs all over it. Does that make sense? Curator: Precisely. West invites us to consider the implications of our presence, our gaze, and our intervention within these spaces. It is both sublime and subtly critical. Editor: I feel like I understand a little better how we're always changing the things we love. Thanks for that!