Symphonic Fantasy 1990

Editor: So, this is Eyvind Earle's "Symphonic Fantasy" from 1990, done in acrylic on canvas. It feels almost dreamlike to me, this colorful mountainscape. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a powerful representation of the artist’s relationship to the environment and the inherent hierarchies we place upon it. How can we engage with representations of nature beyond the visual pleasure of landscape? What histories and power structures do they hold? This canvas embodies the American vision of sublime wilderness, yet it's meticulously constructed, reflecting a deliberate artistic choice. Editor: A hierarchy in nature, you say? Curator: Absolutely. This image echoes transcendentalist ideals, emphasizing individualism by romanticizing the separation of humans and untouched nature, while erasing Indigenous perspectives of reciprocal relation. Consider how these visions contribute to cultural identity and influence political policies around conservation. Earle invites us into an idyllic natural world, but should we consider whose vision is represented and whose is omitted? Editor: That's... a very different way of seeing a pretty landscape! It sounds like the aesthetic beauty is sort of a facade? Curator: Not a facade, but a deliberate construction. Its geometric forms, vivid hues, and elevated viewpoint aren’t accidental. Earle draws inspiration from medieval tapestries with flattened perspective that suggest the timeless and universal idea. However, we should consider it as one culturally-determined perspective and consider it in dialogue with alternative or marginalized ecological and humanist points of view. Editor: I hadn't thought about the cultural impact a landscape could have. I guess it's more than just a pretty picture. Thanks! Curator: Precisely. Art serves as a lens to examine societal values. The beauty here serves as a powerful invitation to analyze what those values are and where they originate from, how cultural forces have shaped it, and ultimately what our individual relationship to nature is today.