Mustang Bridge Exit, Interstate 80 Possibly 1977 - 1978

Curator: What strikes me immediately about this image is its starkness. The heavy contrast, the looming hill in the background. It feels isolated and… almost haunting. Editor: We're looking at Lewis Baltz's black and white photograph, "Mustang Bridge Exit, Interstate 80", likely taken between 1977 and 1978. Baltz's work is so interesting when viewed through the lens of contemporary urban studies. Curator: Urban studies, tell me more about that context, as the subject seems very remote. Editor: His focus on suburban landscapes highlights what we now call “non-places”: generic, anonymous spaces symptomatic of late capitalism. Think of it as visual critique. This roadside diner becomes symbolic. Where do we see the role of power within these marginalized liminal spaces? Curator: Ah, yes. Baltz often critiqued social power structures. And that really resonates here; that small business, struggling maybe, in the face of indifferent infrastructure. The low building nestled under a large imposing and somewhat overwhelming, landscape behind it. I appreciate your point that there are so many layers of interpretation here related to identity and politics. Editor: Consider how the monochrome palette drains the scene of vibrancy. It amplifies a sense of detachment, but this photographic choice emphasizes formal considerations. It’s a recurring theme across his career, from "The New Industrial Parks Near Irvine, California", which examined urban sprawl and the effects of human actions in industrialisation, a decade before this was shot. He always thought of this body of work as a "proto-conceptual landscape project". Curator: Baltz also uses light here to emphasize that critique; almost a theatrical light against an inky black sky to emphasize "Tang Shack." Does that lighting highlight consumerism and class? I find it captivating how one photo is ripe with those potential readings. It all seems tied up in class disparities and infrastructure choices. Editor: Exactly. This image makes one think of our era when many of us feel isolated in a constant cycle of transit and consumption. And you begin to view things from new theoretical considerations and think how can this influence the production of new art! Curator: Thinking about Mustang Bridge and the political message and your final comment has broadened my view considerably! I will not soon drive down the highway without thinking about these layers! Editor: I couldn’t have hoped for more. It just goes to show how an understanding of the social backdrop helps one fully digest such imagery!