Braddock from US30 Pennsylvania Possibly 2012 - 2022

Editor: This is Andrew Borowiec's "Braddock from US30 Pennsylvania," a photograph taken sometime between 2012 and 2022. There’s something stark about the arrangement of bridges, roads, and industry here. How would you interpret this work through a formalist lens? Curator: Consider first the geometric arrangement. The interplay of horizontal lines, evidenced in the bridges and roadways, bisects the more organic verticality of the natural landscape. This interplay creates a visual tension that immediately directs our eye. What, for you, is the effect of this arrangement? Editor: I think it feels unbalanced. The man-made structures seem to be dominating the scene. Curator: Precisely. Borowiec uses the tonal range – the gradation from the darker foreground to the lighter, almost hazy background – to further emphasize this dominance. The structures appear more defined, their texture more apparent, while the natural elements recede into a softer, less distinct presence. It is a study of contrasts and relationships – structure versus nature, sharp versus soft. Do you perceive a further significance in this duality? Editor: I guess it highlights the impact of industry on the natural world. But, focusing just on form, would it be as powerful? Curator: It’s through these formal choices that this impact gains visual potency. The lack of human presence is crucial here as well. We are presented with a stage meticulously set with formal elements, inviting contemplation on their intrinsic relationship and symbolic potential, almost divorced from a direct human element. Consider how a single figure could change that formal relationship, its narrative and affective dimensions. Editor: That makes sense. Analyzing the composition alone reveals the inherent conflict and visual dynamics, emphasizing the thematic tension, not just illustrating it. I'll definitely look more at form now. Curator: A good artist knows how to play with formal constructs!