Green River, Wyoming 1878

Editor: This is "Green River, Wyoming," an oil painting by Thomas Moran from 1878. I’m struck by how serene it is – the light seems to soften the rugged landscape. What are your initial thoughts when you look at this painting? Curator: Serenity is a key element, yes, but I see something more complicated at play here. Consider the context of its creation: westward expansion was in full swing, driven by a concept called “Manifest Destiny.” How does this painting, with its emphasis on untouched wilderness, function within that narrative? Editor: So, it's not just a beautiful landscape, it's a statement about expansion? Curator: Precisely. Moran was commissioned to create these images, and while undeniably beautiful, they romanticize the West, downplaying the violent displacement of Indigenous populations and the environmental impact of resource extraction. Notice how the figures in the foreground seem small, insignificant against the vastness of the land. Who do you think these figures represent? And whose story is omitted from this version of the West? Editor: I guess I hadn’t considered that the figures could represent the settlers, while ignoring those who already lived there. The sheer scale had just seemed like appreciation. Curator: It’s about who gets to write and, in this case, paint the story. Consider how the "Hudson River School," to which Moran belonged, played a role in constructing a national identity intertwined with the control and exploitation of land. Do you see parallels with contemporary debates surrounding land rights and environmental justice? Editor: That really makes me think about whose perspective is privileged in these grand landscapes, and how they can serve to legitimize specific agendas. Thanks, I definitely see it differently now! Curator: And that different view, I believe, encourages us to question our own roles in perpetuating historical silences, when confronted with similar issues in art today.