The Church of San Miguel, The Oldest in Santa Fe, N.M. 1873

Editor: This is Timothy O'Sullivan's photograph of The Church of San Miguel, reputedly the oldest in Santa Fe. The starkness of the adobe against the sky really emphasizes its age. What visual symbols stand out to you in this image? Curator: The shadows, certainly. Aren’t they like time itself, relentlessly marching forward, obscuring what was? And the ladder against the wall, a subtle reference to spiritual ascent, perhaps? Do you see other symbols of endurance here? Editor: I hadn't considered the ladder that way. The thickness of the walls speaks to permanence, I guess, a will to survive. Thanks! Curator: Precisely. It's a powerful testament to faith, resilience, and the indelible mark of cultural memory.