Longmont, Colorado 1982 - 1992

Editor: So, this is Robert Adams' "Longmont, Colorado," a gelatin silver print made between 1982 and 1992. It’s a black and white photograph of what seems to be a backyard, with a small dog facing away from the viewer. There's something melancholic and very still about it. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It’s fascinating to consider Adams' work through a critical lens, specifically within the context of land use and its impact on communities. Adams, like many photographers of his generation, was deeply concerned with the American West’s transformation through suburban development and resource extraction. How does the stark, almost clinical, black and white treatment contribute to your understanding? Editor: It certainly amplifies that sense of stillness, a certain distance. It makes the landscape feel exposed and a bit raw. Curator: Exactly. The seeming casualness of the scene—a dog in a backyard—belies a powerful commentary. Consider this image in relation to histories of colonialism and manifest destiny, ideologies that spurred westward expansion, often at the expense of Indigenous peoples and the environment. Where does this dog sit in relation to human control, ownership and their place within nature? Editor: So the dog isn’t just a dog, but also maybe a symbol of…domesticated nature? And the yard itself as a sign of imposed order on what was once wild? Curator: Precisely. Adams invites us to critically examine our relationship with the land. Does it provoke different emotions in you now? Editor: Yes, it does. I initially saw a simple, quiet photograph, but now it speaks to broader, complex power structures embedded in our everyday landscapes. Thank you for illuminating that for me. Curator: My pleasure. Art offers itself up as evidence to question and reveal. That engagement is essential.