South Peak 2009

Editor: This is Michael Cherney's "South Peak," a photograph. It looks like a traditional Chinese landscape painting, but with this hazy, almost dreamlike quality. What do you see in this piece? Curator: This work challenges Western notions of photographic truth by embracing the subjective and interpretive spirit of Chinese landscape painting. Cherney, as a diasporic artist, reframes cultural identity by engaging with and subverting tradition. How does this photographic rendering of landscape speak to you regarding place and belonging? Editor: I see how the ambiguity makes it more about feeling than literal representation. So, it's about cultural identity, not just pretty scenery. Curator: Precisely. Cherney prompts us to question the perceived objectivity of photography, urging us to reflect on cultural heritage and the artist's own negotiation of identity. Editor: That gives me a lot to consider when I look at it again. Curator: Indeed, engaging with art through the lens of social context helps us to expand our understanding.