San Quentin Point, no. 37B Possibly 1982 - 1985

Lewis Baltz made this photograph, San Quentin Point, no. 37B with gelatin silver. Looking at it I wonder if it's about the limits of photography. The shades of gray, almost like a pencil drawing, flatten the ground. It's hard to get a sense of depth. I imagine Baltz in the landscape, searching for the right spot. The right light. The perfect weed, a lone piece of something growing out of the ground. It’s sad, but it's also strong, and it's there. That weed is the only thing standing in the photograph, the way a line stands out in a drawing. It reminds me of the work of other artists like Agnes Martin, who used grids and lines to make you see better. Baltz is part of that conversation. I wonder if he knew that plant was a symbol of endurance. Either way, it got my attention.