Sanitary Landfill, Corona, California 1984

Editor: Joe Deal’s "Sanitary Landfill, Corona, California," created in 1984, presents a stark, almost alien landscape. It's a black and white photograph and I find its bleakness really striking, the tire tracks creating a strong directional pull. What do you see in this piece, looking at its visual composition? Curator: Formally, the strength of this photograph lies in its manipulation of line and texture. The repetitive tire tracks establish a powerful linear rhythm, guiding the viewer’s eye from the foreground toward a distant, almost indistinct horizon. Editor: The tracks are quite dominant, almost overwhelming. Curator: Indeed. Note how the varying tonal values within each track—the dark shadows against the lighter earth—create a tactile, almost sculptural quality. The artist compels us to acknowledge that the landfill isn't just a place; it is a constructed site. It represents not only what is buried within the earth but more literally that something has made it, or ruined it, depending on one's philosophical alignment. Do you see how that plays with the horizon as the ground plane changes? Editor: Yes, I see what you mean about constructed site. And I was going to say, the distant horizon line offers a visual break, doesn’t it? It gives a sense of scale, grounding the image, yet remains equally desolate. Curator: Precisely. The almost featureless sky contributes to the image’s flatness, flattening pictorial space. The image denies spatial depth. The composition then emphasizes the horizontal and textural aspects of the scarred earth itself. In semiotic terms, we see that earth isn't just matter but, through form, signifies its condition as a site. Editor: That’s a fresh and very powerful insight; I wasn’t expecting to view a landfill as semiotically-laden. It goes beyond mere representation, prompting deeper reflections. Curator: Agreed. The formal choices elevate it beyond simple documentation.