Salton Sea Interior (with Chair), California Possibly 1985 - 1995

This haunting photograph of an abandoned interior in the Salton Sea area of California was made by Richard Misrach. He is well known for his images of the American West. Misrach used traditional photographic processes to create the work. The crimson-tinted water that fills the space speaks volumes, reflecting a story of environmental degradation and social neglect. It also mirrors the physical process of color photography, which depends on the careful manipulation of dyes. The chair in the title is just one token of former human occupation. The space speaks to the aftermath of economic activity. We can imagine construction workers having built this room, and householders having used it. The scene confronts us with the consequences of human actions on the environment, and also with the abandonment of communities left behind by shifting economies. Misrach’s picture compels us to see the material world as a witness to social realities. It blurs distinctions between art, document, and environmental record.