Untitled c. 1995

Joe Deal created this untitled photograph using gelatin silver, and it captures a moment of urban transformation. The stark black and white tones give it a documentary feel, but there's also an artistry in how he frames the scene, almost like a stage set. Look at the way the light plays across the surfaces, creating a range of grays that define the textures. You can almost feel the grit of the dirt and the rough edges of the construction materials. There's a tension between the temporary and the permanent here – the transient state of construction versus the solid, geometric forms of the structures taking shape. The stark contrast between the angular construction and the distant cityscape creates a compelling push and pull. Deal's work reminds me a little bit of the New Topographics photographers, who were also interested in the intersection of nature and industry. It’s like he’s inviting us to consider the marks we leave on the landscape, and how those marks shape our experience of place.