Storm Light c. 20th century

Curator: The sense of quiet anticipation radiating from this piece is nearly palpable. Editor: I feel it too. Will A. Cadby's gelatin silver print, "Storm Light," thought to have been created around the turn of the 20th century, certainly evokes a particular mood. A raw energy almost. Curator: Absolutely, there's a foreboding element present in the interplay of light and shadow on those tree limbs. The trees reach skyward but almost appear as though rooted in shadow; for me, the composition brings forth ancient, sacred grove associations. The tree of life and our connection to ancestors comes to mind. Editor: And for me, the almost oppressive stillness speaks to a very specific history, perhaps inadvertently on the artist’s part. I see the clearing of indigenous land. I reflect on environmental exploitation, framed by the inherent violence of colonialism and manifest destiny during that era. The 'storm light' then hints at future tempests. Curator: That’s an interesting, yet understandably challenging, point. It brings an additional interpretive dimension that shifts away from more universal symbolical associations, toward potentially deliberate, though subtle commentary. Editor: Exactly. It pushes us to consider the ecological devastation perpetrated, even captured, at the time, revealing how our vision shapes our relationship with nature—and vice versa. I consider the photographic pioneers working to document nature in its unadulterated state versus how landscapes and ecosystems were perceived during settlement. Curator: So, we are ultimately witnessing more than an anticipation of precipitation. Instead, a visual embodiment of inevitable systemic change—of historical forces that can no longer be denied. It makes one think about how the light will, eventually, penetrate that darkness, no matter how dense. Editor: Right. As activists, that's what we live for. The storm light might reveal what was, what is and what can become. Thank you for speaking to that aspect, I think it resonates now more than ever.