Three Vistas Through One Wall c. 1948

Curator: Laughlin’s "Three Vistas Through One Wall" is a photographic study in decay. I’m immediately struck by its starkness. It's not just ruin, it feels like suspended animation. Editor: The wall, fragmented, becomes a palimpsest, revealing layers of time and history. The views—blocked, framed, and open—speak to different levels of access and understanding. Curator: I feel like the compass on the brick wall is mocking us, pointing to nowhere in particular. It's the poetry of entropy, wouldn't you agree? Editor: The compass is about direction, about finding one's way, even in ruins. It suggests that meaning can be found even in the most broken of spaces. Curator: I see it as Laughlin's way of saying that beauty exists even in the face of ugliness. The building that's visible through the wall is still standing. Editor: Agreed. Decay is integral to the life cycle. These vistas, though framed by destruction, invite us to contemplate resilience, the enduring spirit embedded within the photograph's symbolism.