A Walk in Autumn 

Curator: The landscape before us is titled "A Walk in Autumn" by Joshua LaRock, painted with oils, giving us this scene of autumnal foliage. Editor: My first impression is tranquility. The muted color palette feels serene, with a softness that permeates the scene, although maybe even bordering on melancholic given the seasonal change we’re seeing. Curator: I’m interested in LaRock’s use of the plein-air technique. Working outdoors directly informs the texture we observe in the brushstrokes, especially on the foliage. Do you think this immediate engagement with the physical environment shapes its mood? Editor: Absolutely. Considering that this artistic choice embraces capturing a scene and moment that speaks directly to realism while imbuing a sense of Romanticism – consider for example the human figures, how they diminish against nature, which lends itself to a reading where humankind, although still relevant, are secondary to it. Curator: It does make me think about the materials and labor required to produce a painting like this en plein air, lugging the canvas and paints out to the woods. The creation itself becomes part of the viewing experience and the narrative that shapes it. Editor: How does it not? Furthermore, it is worth pointing out the power relations that are being replicated, where one social subject finds himself or herself removed and disconnected enough from nature to be able to leisurely walk around and observe what's happening around them in ways that may not be available for subjects facing struggles over race, gender, and/or other disenfranchising facets that may prevent this type of interaction. Curator: Interesting. Shifting away from social matters of production to the physicality of this image, it’s really fascinating how the artist chose oil paint, especially when one might imagine using more portable watercolors in this type of environment. This indicates a dedication to texture, and to working with a medium that historically carries prestige. Editor: Absolutely, by examining “A Walk in Autumn,” one begins to question what the implications are when claiming a natural surrounding and its inherent connection with race, gender, and so on through the visual language of art. Curator: In closing, I think thinking through LaRock’s deliberate choices provides unique insight into the landscape tradition as a whole. Editor: And hopefully also to thinking through nature and the power relations that are interlaced with its appropriation.