Untitled [New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, 2005] Possibly 2005 - 2010

Richard Misrach made this photograph, *Untitled, New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, 2005*, at a time when the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina was coming into full view. In this image, the architecture is flat and without depth, which is emphasized by the close range the picture is taken from. This flattening reminds me of the way that surfaces in painting can draw attention to the picture plane. The house is presented almost like a stage set or backdrop for the words sprayed onto the brickwork, "No animals found inside". This phrase is loaded with meaning, and the bright red color brings to mind dried blood. You could say it's reminiscent of graffiti art but the message is more forlorn than rebellious. Misrach’s work often deals with landscapes altered by human activity, and this photograph captures the stark reality of environmental and social catastrophe. Looking at this makes me think of other photographers like Robert Adams, who captured the banality of the suburban American landscape, only here, the scene is disrupted by loss and devastation.