Haillicourt, France 2007

Editor: Here we have Witho Worms' photograph, "Haillicourt, France," from 2007. It's a print, seemingly depicting two geometric hills against a wide, open sky. I find the monochromatic palette kind of eerie and desolate. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: Oh, I resonate with "eerie." It's almost sepia-toned, recalling old photographs but with an environmental starkness that speaks to our current era. It nudges at the landscape genre while also feeling otherworldly. Notice the repetition of the pyramidal shapes— are they natural hills or something...else? Editor: You're right! They almost feel man-made. What’s the effect of their stark geometry? Curator: That controlled geometry in this context of open land invites contemplation, right? Are we looking at a serene landscape, or are those imposing shapes hinting at industrial intervention, scarred by the earth's exploitation? Maybe that monochrome filter isn’t a style choice – maybe it suggests the earth itself is being drained of vibrancy. What do *you* think? Editor: I hadn't considered it as commentary on environmental impact, more about pure form. But it’s making me consider Worms’ intentions in using a medium that makes me nostalgic while he's documenting a landscape I wouldn't want to visit. It is like a ruin from some bygone era. Curator: Right? A collision of nostalgia and unease. Maybe it suggests that progress isn’t always pretty, but that it can still be captivatingly, terribly beautiful. The piece definitely sits with you after. Editor: I’ll never look at a brown-toned landscape the same way! Thanks.