Pinnacles 1875

Curator: John K. Hillers created this stereograph, "Pinnacles." Editor: The sepia tones imbue the landscape with a stillness that almost feels sacred. Curator: Indeed. Hiller's work emerged during a period of westward expansion and government-sponsored exploration. His images became visual documents. Editor: I wonder about the indigenous people who already knew this landscape. Did this documentation erase their claims to the land? Curator: The composition focuses intently on the geological forms, almost abstracting them. Note the interplay of light and shadow, creating volume and depth. Editor: It also highlights how photography, even landscape photography, is never neutral. Whose perspective is privileged here? Curator: A powerful question, and one that lingers long after our viewing. Editor: It certainly makes you question the historical narrative behind this image.