Untitled (electric meter and parking lot) c. 1970s

Editor: This is an untitled photograph by John Gossage, taken at an undetermined date, showing an electric meter and a parking lot. The composition feels a bit unbalanced, with a rough wall taking up so much of the frame. What do you see in the stark contrasts? Curator: Indeed, the rough texture of the wall against the smooth electric meter presents a compelling tension. Note how the artist uses the geometric forms of the meter and the wall to create a structured, almost abstract composition. The limited tonal range in this black and white image also serves to flatten the perspective, emphasizing the two-dimensional nature of the photograph. What do you think the artist's intention may have been in capturing such a mundane scene? Editor: I hadn't considered the flattening effect. Maybe he was trying to elevate the ordinary through careful arrangement. Curator: Precisely. Gossage masterfully uses form and texture to transform the commonplace into something worthy of contemplation.