Pikes Peak, over the top of a fence, and new houses, Colorado Springs, Colorado 1968 - 1971

Robert Adams made this photograph in Colorado Springs, framing Pikes Peak behind a suburban fence and some houses. It’s a black and white image, which encourages us to think about the subtle shifts in tone and texture. For me, that starkness is interesting because it highlights the kind of layering we see in landscape painting, but here it is, as real life. I love the fence, how it carves up the space with these horizontal lines. It’s so artificial, but somehow it allows us to see the mountain beyond in a different way. It almost flattens the scene, pushing the mountain up against the sky, like shapes in a collage. Adams’ work always makes me think of the New Topographics movement and artists like Lewis Baltz, who were looking at how the built environment was reshaping the American landscape. Like those artists, he’s interested in what happens when nature and culture collide, and how beauty can be found in the most unexpected places. It's like the conversation that is still ongoing, how we can frame beauty in this world.