Roads and Trees 

Editor: This arresting photograph, "Roads and Trees," by Abbas Kiarostami, is a black and white landscape. What strikes me most is its sense of almost overwhelming scale; the road is dwarfed by the mountains. What do you see in this piece? Curator: That's an excellent observation about scale. The photograph feels archetypal, doesn't it? Roads, especially winding ones like this, often symbolize journeys—both physical and metaphorical. Consider the black and white medium. What feelings does that evoke? Editor: A sense of timelessness, maybe? Or even isolation? Curator: Precisely. Monochrome can strip away the superficial, revealing the underlying structure, much like archetypes themselves. The road, flanked by these imposing geological formations, hints at human passage through an enduring landscape. Notice how the road almost disappears into the mist… Editor: Yes, it's like the road is leading to the unknown. I'm curious, does the road's disappearance symbolize a type of journey's end? Curator: It could, or perhaps it's more about the continuous cyclical nature of journeys. Roads existed long before us, and will persist. How does the ambiguity make *you* feel? Does it leave room for the projection of your personal history, cultural background, collective hopes and fears? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. Seeing the symbolism gives the image a lot more depth than I originally perceived. Curator: It’s a potent combination. Remember to always ask yourself why certain elements or composition may or may not have meaning, what feelings emerge, and trust your feelings. Editor: Thanks! This really opened my eyes to looking at the photo differently!