Snowy Peaks, Hamta Pass c. 1880s

Curator: This is Francis Frith's "Snowy Peaks, Hamta Pass," taken sometime in the 19th century. It's a view that makes me feel quite small. Editor: It certainly evokes a sense of monumental scale, doesn’t it? But I’m more interested in the materiality. Look at the albumen print process, how it renders the snow almost luminous. Curator: Luminous is the word. It’s as if the light itself is solidifying, becoming part of the mountain. Frith's really capturing a spiritual weight, for me. It's about more than altitude; it's about aspiration. Editor: Perhaps, but I see the Victorian urge to document, to conquer through image-making. The very act of transporting equipment to such a remote location speaks to industrial progress, doesn’t it? Curator: Perhaps so. Still, I can't help but get lost in the sheer sublimity, a reminder of nature's overwhelming power. Editor: And I see the labour, the exploitation of resources. Two sides of the same mountain, perhaps.