API 44532072 Suntura, TX 2012

Curator: Mishka Henner's "API 44532072 Suntura, TX," created in 2012, offers a compelling landscape through the lens of contemporary photography and mixed media. What's your first take on this piece? Editor: There's a stark coldness, a detached almost clinical observation of something... industrial. It's aerial, anonymous, and unsettling in its apparent neutrality. It's not pretty; it demands interrogation. Curator: Absolutely. Henner's work often engages with the politics of imagery, and this piece exemplifies his interest in the hidden landscapes of industrial infrastructure. These are the oil fields, seen not from the ground but from a removed, almost voyeuristic perspective, thanks to satellite technology. We're confronting the visual representation of extraction. Editor: And extraction's impact. The seemingly arbitrary division of the land, the stark whiteness intruding into the natural tones…it’s an assertion of dominance. It feels like a visual representation of imbalance, a silent scream about environmental violence. It pushes you to consider whose stories are visible and whose are erased within these landscapes. Curator: Precisely. The image makes a claim to public awareness of privatized landscapes, raising questions about accessibility and accountability. Henner exposes the industrial operations that are often kept out of sight and mind, yet are deeply intertwined with the energy and political policies we partake in as a global community. It reminds us that so much goes unseen to preserve our capitalist structure. Editor: It's more than just seeing, isn't it? It’s about the active work of recognizing how deeply implicated we are. The aesthetic choices further amplify this effect – the sterile colors, the bird's-eye view. The artwork forces you to contemplate your own positionality in relation to the landscape. Curator: Indeed. Henner employs a technological, impersonal lens to challenge traditional landscape photography. It is his way of drawing attention to how technological advancements and surveillance practices contribute to transforming our understanding of nature and industrial intrusion, urging audiences to really re-think our own involvement in it all. Editor: Ultimately, this photograph stands as a poignant invitation to examine the unseen forces shaping our world. Thank you for shining more light on this subject. Curator: My pleasure. Hopefully our listeners feel more ready to examine such forces and engage in more thoughtful, deliberate discussions on extraction, land, and access.