Island of New Providence 

Editor: So, this is Albert Bierstadt’s *Island of New Providence.* I think it’s oil paint, probably *en plein air*. There’s such a strong sunset feeling here. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, this painting makes me think about the legacy of landscape art within a colonial context. Bierstadt romanticizes the Bahamian landscape, obscuring the complex history of colonization and enslavement that shaped New Providence. What appears to be a serene, natural scene is actually layered with the consequences of transatlantic trade and exploitation. Do you see that solitary figure on the shore? Editor: Yes, what about him? Curator: Consider how his presence might represent labor, or perhaps a displaced indigenous person, against the backdrop of that idyllic sunset. The painting becomes a visual argument about power and the representation of "paradise," that ignores the forced labor on plantations and at sea that existed at this time. It’s a celebration of place, while also masking displacement. Editor: I hadn't considered that. I was just appreciating the pretty colors and the… romanticism! Curator: Exactly. And that’s where the critical work begins – to dig beneath the surface and ask: Whose paradise is being depicted, and at what cost? Romanticism often overlooks the brutal realities of history. Editor: So it’s beautiful, but with a really complicated story underneath. Curator: Precisely! Art invites us to unpack those tensions and understand how aesthetics can intersect with historical power dynamics. Editor: That definitely shifts my perspective. Now I’m thinking about what's *not* shown, as much as what is.