Untitled 2009 - 2011

Curator: This is an untitled photograph by John Gossage, created between 2009 and 2011. It offers a compelling view of a commonplace scene. Editor: It certainly does feel commonplace, and yet the tones are somewhat subdued, aren't they? It projects a sense of quiet neglect, almost forgotten. The brickwork dominating the frame has a distinct visual weight, creating a solemn tone in contrast to the everyday subject. Curator: I agree. I think Gossage wants us to consider this fragment as a record of labour, consider its physicality: the rough texture of the bricks, the mortar binding them, even the simple act of someone painting "230" onto the wall. There's an undeniable rawness there. It speaks to the unglamorous reality of urban existence and how those materials age in that context. Editor: Absolutely. This makes me wonder about its institutional role, or lack thereof, in shaping its reception. The brick facade is just there. Without a gallery context it almost seems like visual background noise; the photo aestheticizes and calls our attention to what society normally ignores. It challenges how meaning is attributed, questioning what's worth preserving, documenting, or valuing in public visual spaces. Curator: Exactly, and perhaps a slight critique on the commodification of street photography as well, as street corners like this exist within a network of commerce, subject to urban decay or gentrification and the cycles of building. I like to see his treatment of mundane materials as having potential beauty. Editor: And by pulling this fragment into a photographic print, doesn't it highlight that photography is never purely objective? We bring our biases to urban landscapes, based on its place, how its history and current environment informs its reception, even subconsciously. This really causes me to think more deeply. Curator: Precisely! The tension lies in our differing ways of approaching it; whether its cultural narrative of the image or its inherent physicality in its place of origin that draws focus. Editor: Well said. A worthwhile observation to sit with, to better consider how places change.