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

Curator: Keith Arnatt’s photograph, A.O.N.B., part of the Tate Collections, presents us with a stark, unsentimental view. What strikes you first about this image? Editor: The composition is fascinating—a stark contrast of textures, from the rough stone wall to the ordered slate roof. There's a muted palette that speaks of decay and abandonment. Curator: Precisely. Arnatt, active in conceptual art, often critiqued the romanticized notion of "natural beauty." He frames the ordinary, even the dilapidated, within this designated area. Editor: I'm intrigued by the irony. The title promises a landscape of outstanding beauty, yet we are presented with what seems a neglected building. Is he suggesting that such designations are inherently flawed? Curator: Indeed. Arnatt questions the institutional framing of beauty itself. By photographing the mundane, he challenges the viewer to reconsider the accepted parameters of value and perception. Editor: Considering his practice, it’s a subtle yet potent comment on how landscapes are often curated for consumption. It gives one pause to think of the layers beneath the surface. Curator: A poignant reflection, given how profoundly social narratives shape our views of what constitutes beauty. Editor: Absolutely.