Untitled 1998

Victoria Sambunaris made this photograph, “Untitled”, using film. It's a process, a very deliberate one, that invites a certain kind of seeing. Look at how the flat expanse of ground meets the stark geometry of the building. There’s a tension there, a kind of visual argument. The color palette, muted and almost bleached out, adds to this sense of unease. It’s like a landscape stripped bare, revealing the bones of industrialization. The horizon line is so low, placing emphasis on the building itself. The way Sambunaris frames the scene, it reminds me a little of the Bechers. But there's also something uniquely American about it, like a Hopper painting in photographic form. Ultimately, though, it's a photograph that stays with you, asking questions about what we value and what we leave behind.