12th Street/Arlington, Country Park 1995

Madoka Takagi made this black and white print, 12th Street/Arlington, Country Park, sometime in the late 20th or early 21st century. The composition, with the trees slightly softened, feels like a memory. The surface is smooth, almost velvety. Look closely at the tops of the palm trees; you can see how Takagi has let the light bleed, blurring the edges. I love how she captures the sun-drenched quality of California. Those towering palms aren’t just trees; they're iconic, a part of the visual language of Los Angeles. This piece reminds me of the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher, who methodically photographed industrial structures. Takagi’s approach is softer, more personal, but she shares their interest in the way photography can document and transform the everyday. It’s a conversation about seeing, framing, and finding the extraordinary in the ordinary.