A Bit on the New Road Near Rogi 1866

Curator: This photograph, taken by Samuel Bourne, is titled "A Bit on the New Road Near Rogi." The composition is striking. Editor: Indeed. It feels so… precarious. The eye is drawn to that narrow, almost imperceptible path clinging to the cliff face. One wonders about the human cost of such infrastructure. Curator: Note how Bourne uses the dramatic sweep of the mountains as a backdrop. The tonal range, from the dark, textured rocks to the misty peaks, is masterful. Editor: But who benefitted from this "new road"? Surely not the local communities, whose lives were likely disrupted by colonial ambitions masked as progress. Curator: The photograph itself, as an object, speaks to a specific moment in photographic history. Consider the albumen print process and its contribution to this image's unique qualities. Editor: It also represents a visual perspective deeply embedded in the colonial gaze. Bourne's romanticized depiction elides the complex realities of the landscape and its inhabitants. Curator: It's a technically brilliant photograph, and I appreciate its compositional strength. Editor: Yes, and it's imperative to confront the narratives it perpetuates.