Partial Landscape; verso: blank page 1859

Editor: Here we have Benjamin Champney’s "Partial Landscape," a pencil sketch on paper. I'm struck by the contrast: one side is completely blank, while the other depicts a very serene waterside scene. What do you make of this diptych? Curator: It speaks to the complexities of representation, right? The blank page signifies absence, a void, while the landscape suggests presence, perhaps a colonialist impulse to capture and own nature. The division highlights power dynamics, what is seen and unseen. Editor: That’s fascinating! So, the “partial” nature of the landscape could be a commentary on incomplete narratives? Curator: Exactly. And whose narrative is centered? Champney was part of the White, male-dominated Hudson River School. Whose stories are erased in his landscapes? Editor: I hadn't considered that. Thanks, that gives me a lot to think about! Curator: It's about questioning what we see, and whose perspective it reflects.