Vuurtoren van Cap Gris-Nez before 1883

Curator: Before us is an anonymous print, a photograph actually, dating from before 1883. It’s titled “Vuurtoren van Cap Gris-Nez,” or, the Cap Gris-Nez Lighthouse. Editor: There’s a stillness, an almost industrial solemnity in this landscape. It’s very muted. Curator: Well, the capture of a lighthouse inherently invokes certain symbolisms. The gaze, guidance, solitary vigilance. Here we can consider the narratives of isolation, resilience and the crucial role of marginalized figures historically. Editor: Agreed, but it also shows advancements in industrial construction. Think about the means needed to transport those materials, the engineering to withstand harsh conditions and the sheer labour involved to make it a reality. Curator: Precisely! The construction of this lighthouse, and indeed lighthouses generally, intersects with political will and social power. Who benefits from coastal safety? The rising bourgeois merchant class certainly benefited immensely from a tool of globalized trade. Editor: And it highlights an intimate interplay between mankind and natural elements. It really makes you think of the material endurance of its walls, how those bricks and mortar, the glass of the lens, all silently work together under duress, relentlessly keeping guard. Curator: Definitely, and the muted palette invites discourse surrounding access and visibility within oppressive systems. This representation underscores the enduring relevance of historical infrastructures and how they symbolize navigation not just physically, but socially. The question then arises of whether they served to protect or to reinforce existing hegemonies. Editor: Yes. Seeing its robust silhouette from our present moment allows us to appreciate that human hands shaped that structure out of basic raw matter. Whether intended or not, that physical reminder of effort and purpose resonates strongly. Curator: Exactly! It embodies the intersection of technology and the subjugated roles tasked with executing such designs, furthering the narrative around how access and opportunity can transform communities. Editor: It’s a landmark not just against geography but also about people and their impact upon land. Curator: Absolutely, offering us much food for thought!