A.O.N.B. (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) 1982 - 1984

Editor: This is Keith Arnatt's "A.O.N.B. (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty)," a photograph in the Tate collection. It feels almost deliberately mundane. What compositional elements stand out to you? Curator: The stark contrast between the textured, almost overwhelming density of the foliage and the smooth expanse of water creates a visual tension. Note how the abandoned footwear in the foreground disrupts the traditional landscape, introducing an element of human intervention. Editor: So, the shoes aren't just random; they contribute to the meaning? Curator: Precisely. They act as signifiers, disrupting our expectations of the pastoral. Consider how Arnatt employs the formal qualities of photography, such as light and shadow, to further emphasize this discord. Editor: I see it now; it’s a landscape, but it’s been unsettled. Thanks! Curator: Indeed, a study in contrasts. A fruitful observation.