Park City 70 1979

Lewis Baltz made this gelatin silver print, "Park City 70," sometime in the 1970s. Baltz’s work is often associated with the New Topographics movement, which shifted photographic aesthetics towards detached observation. With his black and white images of architecture and industrial landscapes Baltz critiqued the rampant development in postwar America. This photograph depicts the skeletal interior of a building under construction, alluding to themes of progress and its discontents. The unfinished space, captured in stark monochrome, evokes a sense of abandonment. The raw building materials and exposed wiring present an environment devoid of human warmth. Baltz's compositions exclude any signs of life, leading viewers to question the implications of unrestrained urban expansion on local communities and their environments. As you consider this, contemplate the emotional impact of this image. What does this photograph reveal about the social and economic changes in America during the latter half of the 20th century?