Kamelhovederne og Løvehovederne, rotsen in de vorm van kamelen- en leeuwenkoppen, Bornholm 1898 - 1935

Editor: This stereoscopic photograph, titled "Kamelhovederne og Løvehovederne, rotsen in de vorm van kamelen- en leeuwenkoppen, Bornholm," capturing the Bornholm cliffs sometime between 1898 and 1935, presents a stark coastal scene. What really catches my eye is the layering of rock, water, and sky - but it’s interesting to consider the labor of the photographer creating and capturing this landscape. What stands out to you? Curator: Considering its production as a photographic stereograph, it asks us to reflect on materiality itself. How might its role as a manufactured, easily reproduced object complicate the idea of it being a traditional "artistic" landscape? Editor: That's a great point. Because these were produced as commercial images, how do you think that influences how we understand the rugged natural scene itself? Curator: I find the use of photography here compelling. In choosing this reproducible medium to capture the sublime cliffs, it opens up how landscape becomes a consumable good. Do you see a tension there? Between the mass-produced and the seemingly 'untouched' vista? Editor: I think so. There's a romantic ideal of nature, yet the image becomes widely accessible, almost demystifying it. How would the image circulate? Curator: Exactly. One can imagine the audience: this photograph might find its way into middle-class parlors, enabling a form of armchair tourism that fundamentally alters the understanding of geographical space through the lens of the consumer. These mass produced items impacted industry in profound ways. Editor: That’s such a valuable perspective. Now I see how the materiality and circulation of this photo shapes its meaning so much more. Curator: I’m glad that the idea of production adds value to this already arresting depiction of the coast.