Canyon de Chelly, Arizona 1979

Emmet Gowin created this aerial view of Canyon de Chelly, Arizona using gelatin silver print photography. Gowin’s choice to photograph Canyon de Chelly from above provides an interesting perspective on the intersection of land, history, and identity. The canyon is within the Navajo Nation and has been home to indigenous peoples for thousands of years. Seen from the air, the landscape reveals layers of human presence, from ancient dwellings to contemporary roads. Gowin has often explored the theme of family and our relationship to the land. His photographs invite us to consider how we shape and are shaped by the places we inhabit. As you look at the photograph, think about the stories held within this landscape. Whose stories are visible, and whose remain hidden? Consider how the act of photographing, like the act of seeing, can be an intervention, a way of asserting presence and perspective.