Rock Spire c. 1875

Curator: John K. Hillers’ stereo card, simply titled Rock Spire, offers a duplicated view of a monumental rock formation. The Harvard Art Museums hold this particular example. Editor: My first impression is one of stark, isolated grandeur. The spire dominates the landscape, a testament to geological time and force, but there is also something undeniably phallic about it. Curator: Yes, the spire carries echoes of ancient obelisks, symbols of power, fertility, and connection to the divine across cultures. Hillers' image captures its imposing presence. Editor: And that imposition, taken in the historical context of westward expansion, reflects power dynamics. Who is claiming and controlling this landscape, and at what cost to indigenous populations? Curator: The act of photographing itself was a claim, fixing a specific perspective. Hillers, working with the U.S. Geological Survey, participated in visually defining the American West. Editor: These images helped construct a narrative of manifest destiny, obscuring the violence enacted on the land and its original inhabitants. It's a complex visual inheritance. Curator: Indeed. It's a stark reminder of how images, even those seemingly objective, are imbued with cultural and political weight. Editor: An important perspective to carry forward when examining visual art.