A.O.N.B. (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) 1982 - 1984

Curator: This photograph by Keith Arnatt is titled "A.O.N.B. (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty)." The support measures 275 x 357 mm. Editor: It’s stark, almost bleak. The juxtaposition of the playground structure and the medieval castle wall creates a sense of displacement. The monochrome palette emphasizes the grittiness. Curator: Exactly. The artist is commenting on the cultural construct of beauty, setting the geometric, modern playground against a backdrop representing historical grandeur. Editor: And that playground equipment. It looks like something repurposed, or even abandoned. What materials were used to build it? The welding marks and rust would tell a fascinating story. Curator: Arnatt cleverly questions what we consider "outstanding." Is it nature, history, or the human interventions within it? There’s a subtle but pointed irony at play. Editor: It really invites you to think about the labor involved in creating both structures, the castle and the playground and how both will eventually fall into disrepair. Curator: A powerful commentary, indeed. It makes you consider what society chooses to value and preserve. Editor: Absolutely. A simple photograph, but with layers of meaning embedded in its materials and composition.