Penobscot 1999

Editor: This is Alex Katz's "Penobscot," a painting of a seascape. The beach looks deserted, and the sailboats seem distant. What can you tell me about this painting? Curator: Katz often depicts scenes of leisure, but there's a detachment here. Consider the title: Penobscot. Who are the Penobscot people, and what is their relationship to this landscape? How does Katz's depiction potentially erase their history and presence? Editor: I see what you mean. The painting feels very...separate, like a tourist's view. Curator: Exactly. And by understanding that perspective, we can begin to question whose stories are being told and whose are being omitted in these seemingly simple landscapes. Editor: That's a really powerful way to look at it. I'll definitely keep that in mind.