The Aqueduct of Cherchell, Algeria 1855 - 1856

Curator: John B. Greene’s photograph, "The Aqueduct of Cherchell, Algeria," captures a monumental structure dwarfed by its natural surroundings. There’s a striking stillness to the image. Editor: Yes, a stillness that speaks to the quiet violence of colonial presence. The aqueduct, a symbol of Roman engineering, becomes a marker of occupation within the Algerian landscape. Curator: Beyond that, the aqueduct itself embodies a human desire to master the elements, to channel life-giving water. It’s a symbol of progress, certainly, but also control. Editor: Control wrested from the Indigenous population, no doubt. That infrastructure, so lauded, likely came at the expense of displacement and resource exploitation. Curator: It certainly invites reflection on layers of history, each leaving its mark on the land. The photograph, then, acts as a record, a memory held in sepia tones. Editor: Precisely. We must remember whose stories are often erased in these seemingly objective landscapes. The aqueduct stands, but who paid the price for it?