A.O.N.B. (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) 1982 - 1984

Curator: Keith Arnatt's photograph, A.O.N.B. (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), presents us with a stark, almost confrontational scene. My initial impression is one of deliberate visual tension. Editor: It's bleak, isn't it? The rough texture of those bins juxtaposed against the implied promise of the landscape—it speaks volumes about the manufactured experience of "natural beauty." Curator: The composition invites this reading, I think. The fence and the road bisect the image, creating distinct planes. The bins become a focal point, disrupting any conventional aesthetic pleasure. Editor: Exactly. And let's consider those bins. Mass-produced, functional objects intruding upon a supposedly pristine environment. It’s a commentary on our relationship with the land and what we leave behind. Curator: One could say Arnatt employs a self-reflexive approach. The "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" becomes ironically framed by the very elements that undermine it. Editor: It forces us to acknowledge the labor and consumption that underpin our appreciation of nature. Not to mention the material impact. Even beauty has a cost, and this image lays it bare. Curator: Indeed. Thinking about the formal arrangement and the stark greyscale palette, it is clear that Arnatt’s focus challenges us to consider what "beauty" truly signifies. Editor: Absolutely. Arnatt's image is a sharp reminder of the complex interplay between nature, industry, and our own consumption habits.