Untitled 1980

This photograph was made by Ursula Schulz-Dornburg, and it bears her signature style. The print's monochromatic tones are a consequence of the traditional photographic process, lending it a timeless quality. Schulz-Dornburg’s method emphasizes light and shadow, form and texture. She has captured what appears to be a series of dwellings amidst water; their thatched roofs made from reeds or straw, which appear like sculptural forms. The image invites consideration of the labor and skill involved in the creation of these rudimentary structures, and of the lives of their inhabitants. Photographs like this one prompt us to question the hierarchy of art and craft, and to consider the ways in which vernacular architecture can resonate with artistic intention. It reminds us that visual culture and ways of making are deeply intertwined.