Landscape

In thinking about what the "landscape" of 2010 would look like, I wanted to avoid being too traditional. To me, a landscape is a thing of beauty that makes many of us want to jump into environment captured by the photograph or painting and experience the sights, smells, and sounds we imagine. This photograph is no different as we imagine the smell of hot chocolate or coffee depending upon our preference, and hear the sounds surrounding the small-town cafe. Whereas we see photographs of landscapes during westward expansion, or paintings that capture undisturbed beauty in exotic locations, this is the new typical scenery. Some may interpret this as a critique of society, as we are now surrounded by pavement rather than fields, telephone poles rather than trees, and the sound of gossiping old women rather than chirping birds. Others may see this as a spin on an old concept, where we see cafes as the more modern place to relax and take in the sights. People-watching seems to be the new way we like to pass the time and "enjoy the scenery."

This photograph stands in contrast to the earthworks photographs where we see an attempt to frame and mirror the natural (literally and symbolically). For the most part, the landscape's elements are formed by man and the only thing that is framed is more of the man-made surroundings. Yet something still seems serene and artistic about the landscape's setting. Though not capturing the beauty of mountain scenery, creativity and beauty can be found in everything from the shape of the chairs to in the dressing of the drink before us.