Centre Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, Geneva, Switzerland Possibly 1989 - 2006

Lewis Baltz made this image at the European Centre for Nuclear Research in Geneva. Look at the way he sees; it’s so cool how he isolates this pattern of horizontal lines and shadows. I can imagine him walking around, maybe feeling a bit alienated by the techy environment, then suddenly noticing this play of light on a mundane architectural detail. It’s like he’s saying, “Even here, in this super-rational place, there’s room for poetry and abstraction.” The composition is so simple, almost minimalist, yet the subtle gradations of tone create a real sense of depth. It reminds me of Agnes Martin’s grids, but with a harder, more industrial edge. Baltz’s work often deals with the impact of technology and urban development on the landscape, and I think this image fits into that theme. It’s like he’s finding beauty in the cold, impersonal spaces of modern life. And that, in itself, is a very human thing to do.