This is a peerreviewed, postprint (final draft postrefereeing) version of the following published document and is licensed under All Rights Reserved license:
Peck, Julia ORCID: 0000000151342471 (2018) Landscape photography in the web of life: Olaf Otto Becker’s documentary sublime. In: Northern Light: Landscape, Photography and Evocations of the North. Image . Transcript Verlag, Bielefeld. ISBN 9783837639759
EPrint URI: http://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/5913
Disclaimer
The University of Gloucestershire has obtained warranties from all depositors as to their title in the material deposited and as to their right to deposit such material.
The University of Gloucestershire makes no representation or warranties of commercial utility, title, or fitness for a particular purpose or any other warranty, express or implied in respect of any material deposited.
The University of Gloucestershire makes no representation that the use of the materials will not infringe any patent, copyright, trademark or other property or proprietary rights.
The University of Gloucestershire accepts no liability for any infringement of intellectual property rights in any material deposited but will remove such material from public view pending investigation in the event of an allegation of any such infringement.
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR TEXT.
Landscapephotographyintheweboflife:OlafOttoBecker’srenegotiationofthesublime
inaneoliberalisedandclimatechangingworld
JuliaPeck
OlafOttoBecker,aphotographerrenownforhisphotographsoftheArcticnorth,
hasrecentlyturnedhisattentiontotheforestsofIndonesia,Bolivia,Braziland
Australia.Thisisachangeofsubjectforthephotographerknownforhislandscapes
celebratingthecoldnorth.But,asWilliamEwinghasnoted,perhapsthischangein
directionislogicalgiventhatthemeltingoftheArcticispartlyconnectedtothe
destructionoftheworld’smajorforests(Ewing,2015),andthatBecker’sownwork
hasbecomeincreasinglypreoccupiedwithchartinghuman-ledchangestothe
environment.TakinganoverviewofBecker’soutputfromBrokenLine(2007)to
ReadingtheLandscape(2014),IwillarguethatBecker’sapproachcanbereadasan
attempttoresolvetherelationshipbetweenhumanandnature,theeverydayand
thesublimeinatimeofneoliberalisedcapital.
TheArctichasbecomeasignificantphotographicsubjectoverthepastdecade,actingasa
beaconforthosewhowishtoimagetheeffectsofclimatechange.Photographers,artists,
writers,scientistsandtouristsvisitandworkinthelandscapeasameansofcomingtoterms
withthesymbolicpowerofaplacethatisrapidlychanging.Boththeactofvisitingthe
place,andinproducingindividualandcollaborativeresponsesthatmeditateonclimate
change,havebecomesomethingofasignificantculturalactivity.Thematerialthatis
producedincludescampaign-stylematerialsproducedbyconservationandecological
organisationssuchasGreenpeace,mediarepresentations,scientificimagery,aswellas
artists’responsesinawidevarietyofmedia(Buckland2006;Matilsky2013;Wells2012).
Indeed,onecouldsaythattherehasbeenanoutpouringofconcernaboutthelossofsea
andArcticice,andtheimpactthishasonwildlifesuchaspolarbearsandmarinelife.There
isanincreasingawarenessofthehowthelossoficeatthepolarnorthisalsoaffectingour
weathersystems.
Globalairtemperatureduring2016wasconsistentlyreportedasbeinghigherthanthe
averageEarthtemperaturesintheearlytwentiethcentury(Milman2016;Thompson,2016)
butincreasesintemperaturearemarkedlyhigherinthePolarRegions(WorldWildlife
Fund).SeaandArcticice,whichhasbeenreportedrecentlyatthe“secondlowestlevelsince
scientistsbegantomonitoritbysatellite,”isnotshowingsignsofrecoveryinthewinter
months,oracrosslongertimespans(AssociatedPress2016).Similarlydisturbingreports
havebeenemergingaboutthelossofAntarcticseaice(Reuters2017).Theimpactthishas
onpolarbearshasbecomestaplereporting,andpolarbearsnowfeatureinarangeof
affectiveclimatecampaignsasasymbolthatissometimesclichéd,andpowerfully
reinvented,butneverquiteexhausted(Tollman2014).JamesBalogandother
photographershavebeenworkingtobringtowiderpublicattentiontheextentandspeed
ofthelossofice(Balog2009;Balog2012;Orlowski2012).Hisphotographsandstopmotion
sequenceshavebeensuccessfulindemonstratingtheyear-on-yeardecreaseanddeflation
ofglaciersintheArcticandotherpartsoftheworld,whilstalsodeliveringanemotional
impact.
Whilsttherepresentationoficebergs,glaciersmeltingandthePolarRegionshasbecomea
significantaspectoflandscapephotography,therearearangeofrepresentationalstrategies
thathaveaimedtoincreaseawarenessofclimatechangeandtheriskthisposesforthe
Arcticenvironmentandglobalweathersystems.Someoftheseartistsandcommentators,
includingBalog(2009;2012)andAlGore(Guggenheim2006),haveproducedstrongly
evidentialandillustrativeimages1andhavealsoworkedtoadviseaudiencesonstepsthey
cantaketoreducetheirowncarbonfootprintandeffectwiderchange.Other
photographers,includingSubhankarBanerjee(2013)haveaimedtodemonstratetheimpact
oncariboumigrationandindigenousArcticlivesthroughbothillustrativeandpensive
strategies,andCamilleSeaman(2015)hasproducedadeeplypersonalaccountthatdraws
uponherNatureAmericanculturetoproduceareflectiveresponsetothechangesinthe
landscapes.Therepetitionofthemeltingglacier/iceberginphotographyhasalsoledto
playfulandcriticalresponsesfromartistsincludingSophieCalle,JoanFontcubertaand
1ThecategoryoftheillustrativeimagehasbeenborrowedfromHeine(2014).Theillustrativeimageissubordinatetothetext,whichgivesinformationabouthowtointerpretorknowthephotograph(280-283).
others;theseprojectsacknowledgetheclichésofArcticimagerywhilstcritiquingour
relationshipstotheenvironment,whichcanbeoneofexploitation(Martinssonand
Desplechin2015).
Yetclimatecommunicationspecialistsandartistsnotethatviewersstruggletobridgethe
‘gap’betweenknowledgeoftheeffectsofclimatechangetochangesinconsumerhabits
andpatternsoflivingthatmateriallyimpactonourclimate(KollmussandAgyeman2002).
Artistswhoaddressthisissue,suchastheduoSaylerandMorris,workmoreallusivelyinan
attempttobridgethegapbetween‘seeing’and‘believing’;theartistsarguethatasclimate
changeisaproposition(builtuponastatistically-createdandabstractseriesofresearch
projects)thatclimatechangeisnotreducibletothevisual.Notingthatknowingand
believingareoftenconflatedinourfiguresofspeechtheyproposethatphotographyis
closertoknowledgethanbelief,yetfullyunderstandingclimatechangeandadoptingnew
behavioursrequiresbeliefincatastrophiceffectsofclimatechangeratherthanknowledge.
Theyproposethatifphotographscanrepresentfactsthentheycanrepresentorcreate
‘knowledge’ofclimatechangebutnotnecessarilycreatethebeliefthatitishappening;
indeeditseemsthatbeliefisoftenastatethattheviewerbringstotheimageratherthan
acquiringitthroughtheimage(MorrisandSayler2014:302-303).Theirresponsetothis
conundrumistoborrowfromJacquesRanciereandRolandBarthes’ideasofthe‘pensive
image’;animagethatwhilstindeterminateorcontemplativeinvolves“anunthought
thought,athoughtthatcannotbeattributedtotheintentionofthepersonwhoproducesit
andwhichhasaneffectonthepersonwhoviewsitwithoutherlinkingittoadeterminate
object”(RanciereinMorrisandSayler2014:301).Thepointofthe‘pensiveimage’isto
bypassthepurelyillustrativepurposesofinformationalimages(suchasthosefoundin
factualreportingorinBalog’swork)andto“strengthenbeliefinthepotentialtraumaof
climatechange”(ibid:315)becauseitfacilitatestheevidentiaryforceoftheimagewhilst
engagingtheviewerin“adepth(ratherthananaccuracy)offeeling”(ibid:316).Basingtheir
argumentonthefundamentallytraumaticpropertiesoftheimage(suchasthe
photograph’sfundamentalsplicingoftime),theartistsnotethattheirprojectisoneof
failurebuttheyremainhopefulaboutthe“speculativeculturalimpact”oftheirwork(ibid:
319).
WhilstSaylerandMorrisarerigorousintheirarticulationandcontextualisationoftheir
work,theyarenotaloneinproducing,orrelyingon,thepensiveimageasamodeof
practiceinrelationtothetopicofclimatechange.Theirpracticeiswiderangingandalso
includesstrategiesthattraversedifferentdiscoursesandmodesofaddress,including
activistandprotestprojects,andtheyareawareoftheexpresslydepoliticisednatureof
theirpensiveprojects.IncontrasttoSaylerandMorris,manyphotographers,regardlessof
whethertheirworkisillustrativeorallusive,frequentlyavoidstrikingexplicitpolitical
positionsbutmayprovideashortlistofsmallchangesthatcanbeaccommodatedwithin
consumeristlifestyles,suchasinadoptinggreenconsumption,ortheysuggestthatthey
couldlobbytheirrelevantpoliticalactorsforgreateractionwithoutspecifyingtooclearly
whatthenatureofthatactionwouldbe(Balog2009;Guggenheim2006).Certainlyall
photographicpracticeswithintherealmofartexaminedtodatestopshortofsuggesting
structuralchangestoourdevelopedandhighlytechnologisedlives,quitepossiblybecause
photography,andthetravelnecessarytoreachremoteorexoticplaces,arenecessarily
dependentuponthetypesofadvancedtechnologiesorlifestylesthatarealsoimplicatedin
climatechange.Indeed,itishardtocommentonclimatechangeandotherenvironmental
disasterswithoutthemediumofphotographyitselfbeingcriticisedforitsroleindifferent
typesofenvironmentaldestructionorimpact,asRebeccaSolnithasacknowledged(2007).
Nevertheless,therearesophisticatedandthoughtfulresponsesandinterpretationsofsome
environmentalphotographsthatsuggestthatsomeviewersdorespondincomplexand
analyticalwaystoallusivematerial:artisticimagesarethereforenotsimplyentertainment
orspectacle(Schuster2013;Shinkle2014).
Despitetheriskthatadiscussionoftherepresentationoficewithinaclimatechange
frameworkperpetuatessomethingofacliché,thischapterwilladdressthepensiveimagein
relationtoideasofthesublime,of‘thenorth’andpoliticsinrelationtothephotographsby
OlafOttoBecker.BeckerisaGermanartistandphotographerwhohasmadeaseriesof
booksandexhibitedworksthatdepictlandscapesfromIcelandandGreenland,including
landscapesofinhabitation;muchofhisworkexpresslyaddresseslandscapesthatare
affectedbyclimatechange.Hislaterworkshiftsattentiontoforestedregionsintheglobal
South,whichhavebeenseverelycompromisedandreducedbyloggingactivities.
Condensedintofivepublications,thiswide-rangingsubjectmatteriscoherentintermsof
Becker’svisualapproach,aswellassuggestinganincreasedengagementwiththeeconomic
andsocialaspectsofhuman-inducedclimatechange,thedespoliationofvariouslandscapes
andtheimpactthishasonlocalcommunities.Indeed,readingtheproductionofhis
photographsasacontinuousnarrative,thereisastrongsuggestionthatBeckerhasbecome
increasinglyinterestedinthestructuralimpactofglobalcapital,itsfuellingofconsumption
andtheconnectionthishastoclimatechangeandthedegradationofindigenoushabitats.
Becker,incontrasttootherlandscapephotographersinhisfield,seemstowanttoresolve,
oratleastengagewith,thecontradictionsofimageproductionwithinanartscontextand
globalconsumption.ThischapterwillspecificallyarguethatBecker’sphotographs,situated
astheyarebetween‘straight’or‘pensive’photography,thesublimeandanincreasing
awarenessofthegloballyfinancedbasisofclimatechange,isattemptingtoresolvethe
needforinformationaboutclimatechange(theillustrativeimage)withatraumaticand
pensive‘opening’thatmayfacilitatedeeperreflectiononthestructuralsystemsfuelling
climatechange.ThisisnotastraightforwarddiscoursetonegotiateandBecker’sworkwill
beshowntobothalludetothepowerofcapitalismwhilstbeingambiguousinitsstance.
Indeed,Becker’slastbook,ReadingtheLandscape(2014),attemptstotreadtheline
betweenadepoliticisedstanceandanawarenessofstructuralconnectionsofthepractice
ofphotography,whilstseemingtobeopentothesetensions.Tounderstandtheeffectsof
Beckerpracticeitisnecessarytoexamineboththeaestheticsofhisimageryinrelationto
thesublimeandthestraightphotograph,aswellasconsiderastructuralanalysisofthe
contentoftheimagesandtheirnarrativeasconstruedthroughthechronological
developmentofhispublications.Thestructuralanalysiswillconsidertheextenttowhich
thelandscapeshevisitsareasmuchaproductofthecapitalisationofnature(includingall
aspectsofthebiosphere)andthecapitalisationofartsproduction.Itwillbeshownthatthe
capitalisationofnatureandthecapitalisationofphotographyare,forthemoment,
inextricablyentwined.Tothisextent,theanalysisofBecker’sworkwilldrawuponJasonW.
Moore’sanalysisofthecapitalismintheweboflife(2015).
Lookingnorth:IceandLifeinIcelandandGreenland
AgreatmanyofBecker’sphotographshavebeenmadeinthenorth,notthenorthof
EnglandorEurope,butthenorththatcreatedtheirrationaldesiretoexplorefor
exploration’ssake(Spufford1996:49-78).Thenorthisarelativeposition,butaswriters
suchasPeterDavidsonandFrancisSpuffordhavenoted,ideasofnortharefrequently
associatedwithmoralityandasenseoftruth(Davidson2005;Spufford1996).TheArctic
NorthtendstobetheUltimateThuleofmanytravellers,asiteofultimatetruths,however
vaguelytheseareformed(Davidson2005:22).Itisanenvironmentwhereonecanprove
one’smoralworthbyshowingdeterminationandbyovercomingsignificantphysical
hardship,andbothChristophSchaden(2005:140-2)andFreddyLange(2007:8-11),who
havewrittenaboutBecker’swork,haverecountedtalesofhardshipandphysicalprowess
thatBeckerexhibitedintheproductionofhiswork.2TheArcticnorthhasalsobeenasitein
whichmaleproprietarybehaviourhastraditionallyasserteditself(Spufford1996:101).The
globalnorth,whichhassoughttoconquertheArcticnorth,hasalsobeenfullofassociations
withprogress,success,growth,materialismandculturalsuperiority.Manhood,fromthe
globalNorth,hassoughttoproveitsmoralandintellectualsuperiorityovertheArcticNorth,
whilstalsofindingwonderinitsmarvels,especiallyaestheticallyinthedescriptionsofthe
landscape.TheArcticNorth,though,ischangingbothasaspaceandasanidea.Shifting
fromasiteofexplorationforexploration’ssake,itisnowasiteofpotentialdevelopment
andtherearecallsforittobeprotectedagainstclimatechange;additionally,greater
attentionisbeingpaidtoindigenousperspectivesoftheplace(Banerjee2013;Seaman
2015).
FivebookscoverBecker’svisualdepictionofIcelandandGreenland.Thefirstandfourth
books,bothtitledUndertheNordicLight(2005;2011)depictsIcelandandthesecondand
thirdbooksdepictGreenland.BeckerinitiallyvisitedIcelandtophotographwaterfalls
(Gilroy-Hirtz2011:8)andstudymovingsubjectmatter,butoncethereseemstohavebeen
captivatedbytheNorth’smagnetismandpotential.However,thefirstversionofUnderthe
NordicLight,whichisaslimpublication,includesnotjustthesublimeimagerythatBecker
wasseeking,butalsoincludesimagesofports,dwellingsandlanduse.WhenBecker
revisitedIcelandheretainedafamiliarrangeofimagery,notingboththesocialusesofland2BeckersufferedanaccidentwhenmakingBrokenLine(2005)butthestoriesaroundthiseventalsorecounthowhecarriedonworking,despitehisinjuries(Langer2007:8).
anditsscenicgrandeur.Thischapterwillrelyonthelaterversionofthebookandwill
discussitafterBecker’sinterveningtwopublications.
Becker’ssecondbook,BrokenLine(2007)chartstheedgeofthewesternsideofGreenland.
Theimages,oficebergs,seascapes,glaciers,rockfacesandindigenoussettlements,capture
thesplendourofthenorthernlight.Someimages[Fig.1]arereminiscentof19thCentury
paintingsthataimedtocapturethelightofthenorthernregionsandcomparablewith
FrederickEdwinChurch’spaintingof1861,TheIcebergs.Otherimagesarelessindebtedto
RomanticismandaremoreinkeepingwiththestraightphotographywithwhichBeckerhas
beenassociatedandfeaturepalegreyiceagainstgreymoraine.Everyimageinthisbookis
titledwithgeographicalco-ordinatescollectedfromaGPSdeviceandtheintentionisto
allowforcomparisonsregardingicelossandotherchangestothelandscapeinthefutureto
bemade.Icefeaturesextensivelyinthebook,whetherofglaciertongues,icebergs,orrock
scarredbythemovementofglaciers.Beckerincludesmanyphotographsofindigenous
housesandthesearesignificantwithintheproject;Beckerisshowingthesignsofdailyliving
inrelationtoalandscapethatremainsspectacularisedintheeyesofmanynon-Indigenous
viewers.Becker’simages,andthetextsinhisbook,stopshortoffullyengagingwith
indigenoussubjectivitiesandtheirsocialandpoliticalreality.Insteadtheimagesrevealsigns
ofeverydayliving,includingfishing,hunting,leisure,andsomesignsofindustrialactivity;
boatsandskimobilesfeatureprominently.Mentionismadeofonespecificindigenous
subject,whohelpedtrainBeckerhandleadinghyforhislengthyvoyagestophotographthe
Westerncoastbuttherearenoportraitsofhim(Gilroy-Hirtz2011:9).
Becker’sthirdbookAboveZero(2009),engageswiththemeltingoftheglaciersmuchmore
explicitly.Becker’svisuallanguageisalsomorerigorous,achievingconsistencyoflightand
colourintheimagesoficesheets[Fig.2].Beckerhasheremovedfromanimplied‘before
andafter’techniquetodocumentingphenomenathatshouldnotbethere:riversonice
sheetsindicatemelting,andcontributemateriallytotheirdecline.3Thisparticularimage
depictstheendofariverwherethewaterplummetstothebedrockbelow.Knownas
moulinstheyaresignificantastheycausethespeedoftraveloftheglaciertoincrease.3ForadiscussionoftheimportanceofriversonicesheetsseeBalog(2012)andSteffen(2009:166-168).
Theseimagesareinterestinginthattheydepicttraditionalsublimesubjectmatter,buttheir
restrainedaestheticandrepetitionofriverimagery,negotiatetheRomanticsublime.
ExaminingsixdifferentriversacrosstheGreenlandicesheetonecomesawaywithavery
troubledimageofthesewideandpowerfulspacesasitisdemonstratedthaticesheet
meltingisendemic.BeckeralsophotographsscientistsworkingattheSwissCamp,whichis
studyingweatherandicemassdata(Steffen:167).Thesephotographsarehighlystylised
anddepictfiguresinsnowgeartravellingandmaintainingequipmentisnear-blankspaces.
Beckeralsoexploresthetroubledheritageofthesublimeinrelationtotheseicesheets:at
Point660,aplacewheretouristscanreachbycartowalkovertheglaciertongueisshown
asasiteofphotographicperformance.Theimagedepictstouristsphotographingtheglacier
andeachother,spreadoutacrosstheglaciertongue.Thesetourists,whohaveprobably
flowntoGreenland(muchinthesamewaythatBeckerprobablydid),arematerially
contributingtothedeclineofthephenomenathattheyhavecometoseebeforeitvanishes.
Broughtalso,inprobability,byasenseofwonder,theirincursioninthisspace,andtheir
presenceinthephotograph,depictsthemelancholicfollythatweseemdoomedto
participatein.
TheSublimeandtheSocial
PeoplerarelyappearinBecker’simages,eventhoughpeople’shousesandbelongings
appearinbothBrokenLine(2005)andAboveZero(2007).InUndertheNordicLight(2011),
though,humanactivitybecomesthemainsubjectmatterofthebook.Insimilarityto
EdwardBurtynsky’swork,perhaps,UndertheNordicLightdepictslandscapesthatarealso
usedasdwellingspaces,sitesofindustryandprosaicactivities,sitesoftourismandsitesof
wonder.Indeed,Beckerseemstobecomplicatingthesublime.OnthecoveroftheUnder
theNordicLight(2011)isanexpansiveimageofIceland’slandscapetakenfromanelevated
vantagepoint.TheimageprovidesaviewofJökulsááBrúGlacierRiver,adeepgorgewhich
scarsthelandscapeanddownwhicharivershouldbeflowing.Instead,ontheleftofthe
imagethereisaconcretespillwayandinthebottomleft,thereisanobservationorcontrol
centretogetherwithacarpark.Thegorgeissoemptyofwateritispossibletoimagine
walkingalongit.Inthebook’ssequenceofimages,Beckerprecedesthisimageofthegorge
withadifferentviewofthespillway[Fig.3].Thisimagedemonstratesthescaleandpower
oftheimpactonthelandoftheconstructionofthedam,whilstbeingambiguousenoughto
celebratetheachievementoftheengineeringproject.
ThisversionofBecker’sbooksignalssomethingofachangeinhisoutput.Whilst
contextualisingessayshaveaccompaniedallofhispublications,thisbookfeaturesselected
captionsatthebackofthebook,someofwhicharequitedetailed.Whilsttheimage
remainsdominant,andtheviewermustbeattentivetoengagewiththecaptions,the
informationprovidedsignalsadesireonthepartofBeckertomorefullycontextualisehis
practicewithfactualinformation:theimagenolongerstandsonitsown.TheessaybyPetra
Gilroy-Hertz(2011:8-10),insimilaritytotheessaysinBecker’searlierpublications,
celebratesBecker’saestheticsensibility,butalsooutlinessomeofthepoliticaland
economiccontextofIceland.Gilroy-Hirtznotes,forexample,thattheKárahnjúkarDam,
whichhasstoppedtheflowofJökulsááBrúGlacierRiverandresultedinthefloodingofa
NationalPark,wasbuilttoprovidepowerforanaluminiumfactory.AndriSnÆrMagnason
(2013)hasarguedthatIcelandhadnoneedforthisparticularelectricitygeneratingdam
priortotheproductionofaluminium,andaluminiumissingularlyoneofthemostenergy
intensivealloystomanufacture;itsbaseconstituentsarealsoshippedlongdistancesfrom
otherpartsoftheglobe.Iceland’selectricitygenerationandconsumption,then,isonbehalf
ofglobalcorporateconsumptionanditsmachinationsofcapital.
GiventhatBeckerreturnedtoIcelandin2011,aftertheeconomiccrashof2008,andgiven
thatBeckerhadbeenphotographingsomeofthesocialusesofland,theexplicit
engagementwiththesocialandpoliticalisperhapsnotasurprise.Whatseemstohave
takenshape,though,overthecourseofhispublications,isanincreasingcommitmenttothe
factualandinformationalsupplementtohisphotographs.Whilstthesecaptionsareatthe
endofthebook,inaverysmallfont,theyneverthelesstroubletheaestheticanddirectly
visualexperienceofBecker’simages.AlthoughBeckerhasalwaysplayedwithcaption
information,suchasinthegeographicco-ordinates,andhasincludedtestimoniesabout
climatechangefromexperts(Schaden2007;Steffen2009)thesocialandpolitical,whichhas
beenhintedatinthevisual,becomesincreasinglyovert.Indeed,theIcelandicimagesplay
moreextensivelywithbanalityandlandusethanhisearlierworks,eventhoughthereare
manybeautifulandsublimelandscapesinthisbook.Thereareimagesofincomplete
housingdevelopments,emptyout-of-townsupermarkets,residentialblocksaswellas
variousindustrialandshippingsites.
Beckerhasconsistentlyproducedimagesthatarenotablefortheiraestheticcommandof
lightandcolour,utilisingboththelanguageofthesublimeinconjunctionwiththe
aestheticsoftheeverydayandthestraightimage.Hisimagesexhibitrigorousstylistic
repetitionandhetypicallymakesverywidelandscapeviewsevenifthescale,insome
images,ischallengingtodecipher.Hisprojectsincludesignsofhumanhabitationand
activity,althoughthesearesituatedagainstscenesofwildnessandnaturalgrandeur.Yetas
hasbeenhintedatthroughoutthedescriptionofBecker’soutput,Beckerisnotsimply
reproducingthesublime.Indeed,ascanbededucedbythebanalfeaturesofsomeofhis
images,Beckerismovingbetweenlyricismandmoremundanevisualdescriptions,even
thoughhisadherencetostraightimageryisconsistent.Whatdoesthisnegotiationofthe
sublimepropose?
Thesublime,bothhistoricallyandincontemporaryart,isassociatedwithwhatliesbeyond
reasonandcertainties(Morley2010:12).EdmundBurke’saccountofthesublimefromthe
eighteenthcentury,definedasamixtureof“perversepleasure,mixingbothfearand
delight”(ibid:14)retainsapopularcurrencytoday.SimonMorley,whoprovidesan
overviewofhowtheoriesofthesublimedevelopedfromtheEighteenthCenturyinto
contemporarytheories,notesthatthesublimeisstillattachedtotheideathat“ourlivesare
fashionedbyforcesbeyondourcontrol,whichunderpinanddriveouractsof
representation”(Morley2010:18).Morleyaskswhethertheengagementwiththesublime
isawayofsuccumbingtothe“allure…ofacceptingourdominationbyandsubjectionto
nature?”(ibid:18).Notingthattherearebroadlyfourformsinwhichthesublimeinforms
contemporaryartandculture,(theheroicact;shockandawe;realityasfundamentally
indeterminate;andecstasy),Morleyholdsopenthesublimeasabroadandimportant
categorythatextendsbeyondaesthetics.
BarbaraClaireFreeman(2010)hasnotedthatthesublimeisnotnecessarilypolitically
aligned,althoughitisoftenassociatedwithconservatism,andonoccasion,withideasof
libertyandfreedom(ibid:64).Notingthat“themasculinesublime…seekstomaster,
appropriateorcolonisetheother”(Ibid:65)itwouldseemonthesurfaceofthingsthat
Beckerisreproducingamasculinesublime(masteryoflandscapethroughproducing
landscapeviews,demonstratinghismoralandphysicalworth).Afemininesublime,though,
wouldtakeup“apositionofrespectinresponsetoanincalculableotherness”andmeaning
wouldremain“openandungovernable”(ibid:65).Becker’simagerycertainlyavoids,like
manyoftheotherartistsworkingintheArctic,explicitpoliticalpositions,butheisalso
playingwithnotionsofthesocial.Giventhatsomedefinitionsofthesublimeconcentrateon
‘theunrepresentable’itisimportanttonotethatBeckerusestheaestheticsofthesublime
(uncertainscales,expansivevistasetc.)buthealsorepresentsthedistinctlysocialand
materialaspectsofcontemporarylife,bothinGreenlandandIceland.
RobertSmithson(2010),indiscussingthelandscapearchitectureofFrederickLawOlmsted,
proposesthatthelandscape,includingthesublimeengagementwithit,canbedialectical:
InherentinthetheoriesofPriceandGilpin,andinOlmstead’sresponsetothem,are
thebeginningsofadialecticofthelandscape.Burke’snotionof‘beautiful’and
‘sublime’functionsasathesisofsmoothness,gentlecurvesanddelicacyofnature,
andasanantithesisofterror,solitudeandvastnessofnature,bothofwhichare
rootedintherealworld,ratherthanaHegelianIdeal.PriceandGilpinprovidea
synthesiswiththeirformulationofthe‘picturesque,’whichisoncloseexamination
relatedtochanceandchangeinthematerialorderofnature.Thecontradictionsof
the‘picturesque’departfromastaticformalisticviewofnature.Thepicturesque,far
frombeinganinnermovementofthemind,isbasedonrealland;itprecedesthe
mindinitsmaterialexternalexistence.Wecannottakeaone-sidedviewofthe
landscapewithinthisdialectic.…Price,GilpinandOlmsteadareforerunnersofa
dialecticalmaterialismappliedtothephysicallandscape.Dialecticsofthistypearea
wayofseeingthingsinamanifoldofrelations,notasisolatedobjects.Natureforthe
dialecticianisindifferenttoanyformalideal.(Smithson2010:115)
InSmithson’sessay,whereheisexploringtensionsbetweenlandart’sreputationfor
conqueringtheland,andtranscendentalwaysofrepresentingit,arguesforarelationship
thatresolvesthetendencytowardsaman/naturesplit.Scenicbeautyanditsassociatedart,
inSmithson’seyes,isaformofspiritualsnobberyandaformofretreat(ibid:117),andhe
arguesforadialecticalrelationshipinstead.WhilstSmithson’sessayoverlooksmanyofthe
NativeAmericanwaysofunderstandingland,includingtheirownearthworksand
landscapingactivities,Smithson’sessaypointsthewaytounderstandingBecker’simages.
Startingwithadesiretolocatethesublime(intheformofawaterfall),thenmovingfurther
northinsearchofuntouchedscenerybutstillfindingthesocial(suchasinBrokenLine),the
locationoftranscendentallandscapesindecline(AboveZero),Beckerseemstobeseeking
thepristineanduntouched,butfindingalandscapepowerfullyalteredbyman.Whetherwe
wouldliketopreservetheArcticornot,ithasbecomeasiteofhuman-naturerelationships
andBecker’sphotographycannotescapethat.Intuiting,perhaps,thecomplexrelationship
betweenmanandnature,Beckerdoesnotdisavowthesocialinsearchoftheuntouched
wildernessbutisunabletogiveupontheideaofitsexistence.Inthissense,Becker’sworks
seemtobothengagewithman-humanrelationsandresisttheirentwinement.Asnoted
above,theimagesarenolongerpurelyvisualandtheyalsoengagemorefullywiththe
socialrealitiesofthelandscapesthroughtheuseoftext.Theseobservationsetsthescene
forBecker’smostexplicitengagementwiththeeffectsofclimatechangeandenvironmental
devastation.
ReadingtheLandscape
Becker’slatestbook,ReadingtheLandscape(2014),signalsaradicaldeparturefromtheicy
north.SplitintothreeHabitatsections,thebookfollowsatrajectoryfromtheprimeval
forests,toindustrialisedforestclearance,soilerosionandfiredestruction,andthenafinal
sectiononthetropicalmanmadegardensinhighrisebuildingsinplacessuchasSingapore.
ThereisasmallsectiononCalifornia’sredwoodforests,butthemajorityofphotographsof
primevalforestsaretakeninIndonesiaandMalaysia.IncontrasttoBecker’searlierwork
therearesomeimagesandvideostillsofthefloraandfauna,whereBeckerseems
fascinatedwiththedetailoflivingsystemsratherthanjusttheiroverallgrandeur.
Thebook’sfairlysimplisticstructureisstronglyredolentoftheconcernsoftheconservation
movement,onethatproposesthatitispossibletoprotectenvironmentsfromindustrialand
pollutingincursions(Dunaway2005).Itisentirelypossiblethatthese‘primeval’forestsare
changingasclimateschangeandthespeciesthatthesespacessupportmaywellbe
adaptingorindecline.GiventhechangingbiosphereoftheEarth,itdoesseemalittlenaïve
tosupposethattheselivingstructures,magnificentthoughtheyare,arenotdisrupted.The
structureofthebookfurtherimpliesthatwecan‘protect’naturefromtheworstofthe
changesthathumanactivityiscausing.Importantly,though,Beckerdoesmovefromhis
RomanticappreciationoftheforesttotherealitiesofdeforestationintheFarEast:
clearanceforcrops,especiallyPalmOil,andtheillegalconfiscationoflandisbecoming
common.Whilstpeoplearemainlyabsent(insimilaritytoBecker’searlierprojects)one
imagestandsout[Fig.4]:AminandYantiPetanibuildingtheirnewhome,Riauarea,
Sumatra,Indonesia,10/2013(2014:113).Thecaptionforthisphotograph,atthebackof
thisbook,tellsusthat:
…WeranintoAminandYantiPetaniwhilewalkingdownaroad.Theytoldusthat
theyhadjustbeenbuildingtheirownhouse.Theyhadfinallywontheirlandback,
afteratenyearlegalbattlewithaninternationalpapercompany.Thelandhad
originallybeenasmallparadisewheretheirancestorshadlived.However,before
theygotthelandback,thepapercompanyharvesteditforonelasttime.
InmanyplacesinIndonesia,thereisnoproperlyheldlandregistry.Thissituation
makesiteasierforcompaniestoexploitthelandfortheirownpurposesonalarge
scale(Becker2014:151).
Thebleachedcolouroftheimageaccentuatestheashenforegroundandcleared
background.Thetimber-framedhouselookspainfullyinadequateagainsttheforcesof
internationalcapitalismbutalsoseemsironicgiventheclearanceoftrees.ThePetani’sfight
toregaintheirland,though,signalslocalresistancetointernationalcapitalismeventhough
thisisnotthemainsubjectofthebook.
ThefinalsectionconcentratesonGardensbytheBay,inSingapore.Thisisatheme-park
versionoftropicalwoodlandandBeckerisatpainstoillustratejusthowmuchofthis
paradisalstructureismanmade(concrete,woodcarvings,soundsofbirdsthrough
speakers,andanartificiallyconduciveatmosphere).Theabundanceoftheflorastandsin
contrasttotheearlierphotographsofforestswherealthoughthereisanoverallsenseof
profusion,thereislittlesenseofanoverpoweringbotanicdisplay.Thelastimagesshow
highrisebuildingswithlushgardendisplays[Fig.5].Thesehugestructures,whichinother
contextscouldbereadasexpressionsofformalinnovationandtechnologicalachievement,
bringtheworkofinternationalcapitalismmoreclearlyintofocus:suchbuildingsareonly
likelytoexistbecauseofthemammothwealththatinternationalcorporationscanacquire,
borrowandmovearoundtheworldandsuchstructuresarerarelythesoleworkoflocal
economies.Moreover,thereplacementoftheforestwithatallandspectacularcity,signals
anenclosureofthecommonsasonlythewealthywillhaveaccesstothesehighrise
gardens.Whatisbeingalludedtohere,though,istheimpactofinternationalcapital,
createdbythejuxtapositionofthegardenintheluxuryhotelorofficeblock,againstthe
stereotypeofprofusetropicalgreeneryinthethemeparkversionoftheforest;indeedthe
luxuriousvegetationstandsincontrasttothesteelandglassstructure.Importantly,across
thenarrativeofthebookamessageofenvironmentaldestructionelsewhereintheEastand
theglobalsouthisseentofuelglacialretreatintheArcticNorth.
Attheendofthebook,wheredetailedcaptionsexplainsomeoftheimagery,Becker
explainsthat:
Poweroftenbelongstoothers.Inthemajorityofplaces,largecorporationsalready
probablywieldmoreinfluencethantheentireelectedrepresentativesofpeople
acrosstheworldeverhad.Thepowerofthiseconomicsystemhasnowbecomeso
extensiveandsocompletelyamorphousthatthisisverydifficulttograsp.
Corporationstendtoreacttolegislationandotherattemptstocontroltheiractions
simplybystrategicallyshiftingtheirposition,almostalwaysactingtotheirown
advantageandinamannerthatwillprotecttheirprofits.Attheendoftheday,
modernandsustainablebehaviourisjustnotaprofitableapproachforthem.
Corporateethicsareappliedonlywheretheyareuseful–andthenonlyasa
cosmeticexercise,apretencethatcanbedroppedatanytime,whosesolefunction
istopromotetheproductionandmarketingofproducts.…Onlyarapidcounter
movementcouldstillavertthedestructiveconsequencesofthiswayofbehaving.If
thatdoesn’thappen,wewillprobablygambleawayanyremainingchancesfor
generations(Becker2014:150).
WhilstBecker,here,isclearlyscepticalabouttheeffortsofcorporationstoself-policeandto
maintaintheirownpoliciesofmaterialandfinancialsustainability,heisalsosuggestingthat
wemighttakepartinarapidcountermovementtoaddresstheveryconcernsthathis
bookshaveraised.WhilstBeckerdoesnotofferspecificdirectionontheformandtypeof
actionreadersmaytake,onedoesnotnecessarilyhavetoassumethatthereaderwill
simplythinkthattheforcesatworkherearesimplytoogreattobebattledorthatthe
battlewillbeoverlongbeforeithasbeenwon.
Thebookismorecomplexthanmydescriptionhassofarsuggested.Thebookopenswith
anessaybythenotedphotographycurator,WilliamEwing.EwingsituatesBecker’sworkin
relationtothehistoryofphotography,makingaesthetic,stylisticandcontextual
observations.HealsonotesthelogicalprocessbywhichBeckerhasarrivedathissubject
matterasArcticdeclineispartlylinkedtorainforestdestructionandanincreasein
consumption(Ewing2014:8).Ewing,then,acknowledgestheglobalproblemsofclimate
changeandhowthisislinked,atleastinpart,todeforestationandrampantconsumerism.
Henoteshowtheculturalideasassociatedwithforests(atleastintheWest)haveshifted
fromoneoffear,toseeingforestsasinneedofprotection,andthattheyareimportantin
termsofthebiosphereoftheworld.ButEwingiscarefultoensurethatthe‘protection’of
theenvironmentisnotseenasathreattoourlifestylesandheiskeentoassurethereader
thatBeckerisnotanactivist.Instead,heclaims,that:
Beckerisaphotographer.Assuch,heisarealist,acceptingtheworldasitis.Heis
neitheroverlyoptimisticnoroverlypessimistic.Hewouldprefertoseemore
responsibilityonthepartofhisfellowstowardtheenvironment,butunderstands
theeffectiveforces(includinghumannature)thatmakemostofourconcernsring
insincere,andanyactiontakencosmetic(Ewing2014:10).
ItisinterestingthatEwingassumesthataviewerofBecker’sworkwouldratherbe
remindedoftheinherentselfishnessofhumanityratherthanencourageadifferentlifeor,
evenmorebasically,encourageastrongersocialandeconomicunderstandingofour
dilemmainrelationtotheexploitationoftheEarth.Ewing’sapproachseemsoutofstepin
thatthereisnoencouragementtoreflectonourindividualcontributionsorhowwemay
bringaboutchange,whetheronasmallscaleormorestructurally.Moresympathetically,
perhaps,Ewingisavoidingthediscussionofphotography’scontributiontothedevastation
oftheEarth.Eitherway,Ewing’saccountofBecker’sworkseemsreductiveanditispossible
toseeBecker’sbook,togetherwithhispreviouscontributionstothevisualdiscourses
aroundclimatechange,asmorethananobjectivevisualrecordofthestateofourworld.To
comprehendhowthismightbeachieved,itisnecessarytochallengethesplitthatis
proposedbetweenhumanity(andart)andtherestofourbiosphere.Thissplitwaspartially
challengedaboveintheproposalthatthelandscapeisseenlandscapedialectically:as
placesmadebetweenman’sandnature’sforces,butthereareothertheoriesthatcanhelp
analyseBecker’sworkinthisregard.
PhotographyintheWebofLife
Thoseworkinginecologicalphilosophieshavechallengedthesplitbetweenmanandnature
(Bennett2010).Whilstthedivisionbetweenhumanandnatureisunderstandablegiventhat
manyhumansliveinurbanenvironmentsawayfromruralspaces,itinnoway
philosophicallyorpracticallydescribeshuman/naturerelationships.Yetthissplitisnoteasy
toovercome,especiallyasurbandwellersoftendesiretoexperiencewildernesses,orare
encouragedto‘getbacktonature’.Indeed,Becker,asaphotographerwhohastravelled
fromhishomeinGermanytophotographnatureelsewhere,couldbesaidtobe
perpetuatingtheseparation.ButasBecker’simagesallow,thesplitbetweenhumanand
natureatthelevelofthevisualinthesespaces,suchastheArctic,isnolongertenable.
TravellingtotheArcticmeansengagingwiththesocial(suchasIndigenousinhabitations
andwaysofliving,includingsurvivalpractices)andengagingwiththefactofclimatechange
(thewildernessasaffectedbyanthropogenicclimatechange).AsBecker’stravelshave
takenhimfurtherafieldinthesearchoftheprimeval,hehasalsofoundhumanand
environmentaldevastation.
Findingwaystoarticulatetherelationshipbetweenhumanandenvironment,though,has
posedsomechallenges.Onesuchwriter,JasonW.Moore,hasformulatedawayof
overcomingthehuman/naturedivisionthatproposesthatwethinkaboutnatureand
humanrelationships;healsoachievesadialecticalreadingoftheserelationshipsby
proposingtheuseofthewordoikeios.Oikeios,forMoore,indicates“manifoldspecies-
environmentconfigurations”(Moore2015:8)thatincludeshumans,otherspecies,
environmentsandhumanorganisationalactivitiessuchasthecreationofurbancentresand
humaneconomicpractices,suchascapitalism(ibid:8).Moore’sproposalenablesnew
questionstoemerge,suchas,howishumanity“unifiedwiththerestofnature?”and“how
ishumanhistoryaco-producedhistory?”(ibid:9).Hisaimisnottoproduceaholism
betweenhumanityandotherspecies,buttounderstandthehistoricalspecificityof
human/environmentrelationships.Nature,forMoore,isamatrixratherthanresource(ibid:
35)anditmatterstotheentiretyofhumanprocesses,ratherthanbeingitscontext(ibid:
36).Instressingtheinterdependencyofhumanswithnaturalprocessesandenvironments,
ourenvironmentalissuesbecomeoneofrelationshipsratherthanobjects.Indeed,Mooreis
atpainstopointoutthatcapitalism(whilstinnowayinevitableasapoliticaloreconomic
system)isamatrixthatisaweboflifeandrelationships:itisnotaresultof“addingup”
naturewiththesocialandpolitical(ibid:41).Mooreusesthisframeworktoproposethat:
Naturecanneitherbesavednordestroyed,onlytransformed.Theoikeiosrepresents
aradicalelaborationofthedialecticallogicimmanentinMarx’sconceptof
metabolism…neithersocietynornaturecanbestabilisedwiththefixityimpliedby
theirideologicalseparation.Inthisdialecticalelaboration,speciesandenvironments
areatoncemakingandunmakingeachother,alwaysandateveryturn.Alllife
makesenvironments.Allenvironmentsmakelife.(Ibid:45)
Humansandotherspeciescreatetheconditionsforlifeindifferentmodesandwecanbegin
tothinkintermsofdefiniteconfigurationsofactingunitsandacted-uponobjects:
“Capitalismdoesnothaveanecologicalregime;itisanecologicalregime”(ibid:112).Sucha
propositionenablesustothinkaboutBecker’simageryindifferentways.Insteadofseeing
hisimagesasbeingsplitbetweentheprimevalandthedepictionofinternationalcapitalism
throughtherepresentationofmammothsteelandglassstructures,wecaninsteadinterpret
hisimageryasarepresentationofourcurrentecologicalregime:thepillagingofonepartof
theEarthforanunsustainableimageofneoliberalcapitalisminanother;togetherthesetwo
imagesdepictourcurrentoikeios.
Ourcurrentoikeois,Mooreproposes,restsuponCheapNature:theabilityofnaturetobe
harvestedorusedcheaplywithlittlefinancialinvestment.Theclearanceofforestsisclearly
anexampleofCheapNature:thetimberthatisremovedcanbeusedformanyproductsand
spaceiscreatedformonocropssuchaspalmoil.Istherearisk,then,thatinimagingthe
primevalforestthatweidentifyspacesforcapitalistexploiterstomoveinto?AsMoorehas
discussed:“CheapNatureisnotjustthere”becauseitisalsosymbolicallyconstructed(ibid:
193).“Theconceitofcapital,fromitsveryoriginswastorepresenttheworldthroughthe
Godtrick:totreatthespecificallycapitalistorderingoftheworldas“natural,”claimingto
mirrortheworlditwasseekingtoreconstruct”(ibid:211).Thetraversalofspacefrom
EuropetotheArctic,andthentotheGlobalsouthinsearchofthesublime,soundslikea
searchforthenaturalworldand,also,alotlikeenvironmentalphotography.Thesymbolic
representationoftheworldasnaturalispartoftheoikeiosofcapitalismasthesearespaces
forexploitation.
AsaMarxist,Moore’stheoriesencompassthesocial(aspartoftheweboflife).An
alternativepathtoneoliberalcapitalcanonlybeimaginedifclassstruggleisalso
considered:
Thisclassstrugglewastherelationofproductionandreproduction,ofpowerand
wealthintheweboflife.Inthisrespect,thebarrierstoanewagriculturalrevolution
arenotlimitedtobiophysicalnaturesassuch;theyarealsoco-producedthroughthe
classstruggle,itselfco-producedthroughnature(ibid:286).
Indeed,inexaminingthephotographofArminandYantiPetani,theirexpulsionfromtheir
homeisconcomitantwiththedestructionoftheirland.Theyarenowinprecariousposition
ofrebuildingahomeinasignificantlychangedecosystemanditwillbeinteresting,intime,
toseewhattheycreate.
ThelastfullplateimageinReadingtheLandscapeisofabotanicgardeninMunich[Fig.6].
Inthecaptionfortheimage,Beckerrelatesthathesatonthebenchtowritethecaptions
forhisbook(2014:151).Thebotanicgarden,ofcourse,harksbacktoaparticulartimein
thehistoryofoikeios,toatimewhennaturewasbeingordered,visualisedandbecoming
subjecttoknowledgeforcapitalexploitation.Thecreationofthebotanicgardencoincided
withexploration,colonialism,slaveryandtheestablishmentoflargeplantationsoverseas.In
thissense,BeckerbringsusbacknotjusttotheWestafterajourneytotheEast,butalsoto
thehistoryofcapitalismandtheweboflife.SowhileBecker’sbookbringstolightthe
currentcapitalistformationforthoroughlychangingnatureandexploitingpeople,italso
depictsthedifferinghistoricalformationsintheoikeios;fromthewildernesstoorderedand
knownnature.
PerhapsEwingwasrightwhenhedescribedBeckerasa“realist”.Beckerisbraveenough,of
theartistswhoworkwiththeArcticandnotionsofthenorth,tolookbeyondthedeclining
landscapetoexaminethepressuresthathelptocreatethelandscapeindecline.Quitehow
Beckerseesnature,though,isopentointerpretation.Ontheonehandheseeksandcreates
imagesofuntouchednature,butalongthewayheengageswiththesocialandeconomic
aspectsoflanduse.Ifonereadshisimagesnarratively,theydepictourcontemporary
oikeios.Depressingly,wecansaythatthemeltingArcticlandscapesarealandscapemadein
theweboflife–itisourcontemporaryoikeios.Clearedforestsarealsopartofouroikeos.
Developedcitieswithelaborategardens–bothinskyscrapersandasbotanicgardens–are
ouroikeos.Beckerablydrawsourattentiontoouroikeosascapitalismintheweboflife.
BeckerlinksnotionsofNorthandSouth,EastandWest.Helinksenvironmentalexploitation
tolabourandlanddispossession.
Beckerremainsrootedinanappreciationoftheenvironment–fortheplacesthatwe
wonderat,andwhichweexperiencecollectiveurgestoprotect.Butwithoutafully
developedunderstandingofenvironmentandcapitalinaweboflife,thereisnowayof
comprehendingamoreequalwayofunderstandingnature,ourlivesandsocieties.(Indeed,
whilstourunderstandingofnatureissociallyconstructedwedogenuinelyneedtocurtail
ourconsumptioninmeaningfulways.)Importantly,thereisnosenseofwhatthefuture
holds–unlessitismoreofnatureinthespacesoftheurbanenvironmentormoreintense
devastationanddispossession.Asweunderstandthepristinewildernesstobea
constructionofcapitalismanditsdesireforfrontiers(asnewspacestoexploit)perhapswe
willbeabletoletgoofthepristineimageandembracethenewnaturesinwhichhuman
andothernatureswilllivemoreproductivelyandlessbrutally.
Becker,then,isonlypartiallysuccessfulindialecticallyresolvingthetensionsaroundthe
sublimeandthenature/humanbinarysplit.Hisexperiencesandtravelsseemtobeshowing
himthatthewildernessisaconstructthatishardtomaintaininourcurrentoikeiosbutitis
apowerfulmyth,nonetheless.Indeed,itishardnottobemovedatthelossofscenic
grandeur,andtoremainunconcernedaboutthefateofindigenouspeopleswhose
subsistencepracticesaremateriallyimpacted.ButasanarrativeinBecker’sbooks,the
powerandbrutalityofglobalcapitalisexposed;itisonethatisdependentonnatureto
exist.Whatcouldpowerfullycontributetothisnarrative,though,areimagesofwherethe
dialecticalrelationshipsinthewebofliferesultinmorepositiveandsustainablewaysof
living.
Conclusion
Becker’sworks,whetherinexhibitionorbookform,likemanyofthephotographersalso
engagingwithenvironmentalissuesinthecontextofthegalleryormuseum,bothrelyupon
andmakeuseoftheverysystemsthatareensuringsocialandenvironmentaldevastation.
Artistswhosellorexhibitthroughprivategalleries,whomakeworkwithveryhigh
productionvalues,arereliantuponglobalfinancialcapitalaswellastechnologicalprocesses
thatareresourceheavy.Manyartistsinthegallerysystemwhoengagewithissuessuchas
overconsumption,socialinequalityandexploitation,aswellasenvironmentaldevastation
treadafinelinebetweendepictingvariousproblemsandexposingtheirunderlying
structures;asEdwardBurtynskyhasargued,ifyouarenottoocriticalofyoursubjectthey
aremorelikelytoletyouin(Schuster2013).
Someartistsareperhapsmoreadeptatmakingthesestructuresandcontextsmoreclear
thanothers.Similarly,thewriterswhocontextualisetheworkofphotographerswithinthe
artworldacknowledgesomeoftheproblemsofcapitalismwithoutlaunchingafullscale
attackonneoliberaleconomicpolicies.GerryBadger,writinginBecker'sBrokenLine(2005)
givesdetailsontherateofexpirationoftheglaciers(pp.9-10).FreddyLangeinAboveZero
(2007)acknowledgesthehuman-alteredstateoftheglaciersandtalksabouttheeffectsof
blackcoaldustblowninfromelsewhere(Langer,2007,pp.10-11).AndPetraGilroy-Hirtz
(2014),writinginthelaterversionofUndertheNordicLight,acknowledgestheeconomic
contextofIcelandanditschanginglandscapeinthefaceofclimatechange(pp.8-9).William
EwinginReadingtheLandscape(2014)claimsthatitisimpossibletostoptheforcesthatare
creatingmonumentalchangesinourlandscapes,whetherinthenorthorsouth.Whilethe
writersinBecker’sbookshaveexpressedconcernaboutenvironmentaldegradation,and
demonstratevaryingdegreesofeconomiccritique,nonehavebeenexplicitintheircritique
ofcapitalismortheeconomicsofneoliberalism.
ThecuratorsinBecker’sbooksenableBecker’sworktobesituatedcomfortablyand
confidentlywithintheworldofart.YetBeckerrisksnamingthemachinationsofglobal
capitalwhicharealsoconnectedtohiswork.Ashedoessoherisksexposinghisown
contributiontoourclimateandenvironmentalcrisisasnoonetodatehasbeenableto
resolvethecontradictionofshowingdevastationwithoutalsocontributingtoit(through
theuseofphotographyandtravel)andbenefittingfromit(thecreationofaprofile,a
career,salesofwork).Itisclearthatourlives,ourcreativityandouraudiences,aretied
togetherthroughthewebofglobalcapital.Indeed,photographyasanartformcanbesaid
tobepartoftheweboflife,aspartofourcurrentoikeios,aspartofthesystemthatcreates
naturalfrontiersforexploitationand,asIhopethischapterhasdemonstrated,partofits
critique.
TouringthePolarRegionshaslongbeenamoralactivity,albeitanincreasinglytroubledone.
Beckercouldbesaidtobegoingtotheselocationstoprovehisownworth,todefinehis
masculinityinrelationtotheenvironment.Whilsttherehetellsanothermoraltaletoo:that
theArcticisinsignificantdeclineduetoclimatechange.Becker,insimilaritytoother
photographersintheArctic,isconcernedthatwewillloseabeautifulenvironmentthathas
beenatthecentreofourRomanticsensibilities.Thisisthelossofanenvironmentthat
stoodinforanebulousformoftruth,andforamoralitytiedupwithnotionsofendurance.
Welosebothitssublimegrandeuranditsthreattothosewhoexploreinthemannerof
thoseblindtoindigenousinhabitationandsubsistence.
Notalltheselosseswillbeexperiencedinthesameway,andwiththesamedegreeof
mourning.Thelossofasiteformaleproprietorialbehaviour,forexample,isamyththatcan
beamendedorabandoned,especiallyifthereareopportunitiestoengagewithother
subjectivities(Banerjee2013).ButBeckerhasshownhismoralworthinnotjustatraditional
wayastheArcticexplorer.Heislookingforcausesofchangeandisbringingattentionto
thatthroughhisphotography.Heisnotanactivist,butheisreachinganartaudience,
creatingabroadernarrativeaboutthechangesofenvironmentstoourattention,inboth
thenorthandthesouth.Hedoessointhemannerofotherartists,suchasSaylerand
Morris,whodosointhehopethata“speculativeculturalimpact”iscreated.Partofthis
impactisthroughthedialecticsofBecker’spracticethatrevolvearoundthesublimeandthe
everyday,betweentheambiguousimageandtheuseofcontextualisinginformation,
suggestingnewwaysofunderstandingpowerfullandscapesandtheirchanges.Anotherof
thoseimpactscouldwellbeadeconstructionofthebinarysplitbetweennatureandhuman
andonethatisreplacedwithamorecomplexunderstandingoftheweboflife.
ListofFigures
Fig.1IlulissatIcefjord09,07/2003
Fig.2ConcreteSpillwayChute,KárahnjúkarDam07/2010
Fig.3River02,07/2008,Position16
Fig.4ArminandYantiPetanibuildingtheirnewhome,Riauarea,Sumatra,Indonesia
10/2013
Fig.5BusinessBuilding,Singapore11/2013
Fig.6Greenhouse,MunichBotanicalGarden05/2014
Bibliography
AssociatedPress,“ArcticIceSinkstoLowestleveleverrecorded,”TheGuardian,September
16,2016,https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/16/arctic-sea-ice-
shrinks-to-second-lowest-level-ever-recorded.
Badger,Gerry.“TakeMeBacktotheFrozenNorth:TheGreenlandPhotographsofOlafOtto
Becker.”InBrokenLine,editedbyOlafOttoBecker,8-11.Ostfildern:HatjeCantz,
2005.
Banerjee,Subhankar,ed.ArcticVoices:ResistanceattheTippingPoint.NewYork:Seven
Stories,2013.
Balog,James.ExtremeIceNow.Washington:NationalGeographic,2009.
Balog,James.Ice:PortraitsofVanishingGlaciers.NewYork:Rizzoli,2012.
Becker,OlafOtto.UndertheNordicLight.Cologne:Schaden,2005.
Becker,OlafOtto.BrokenLine.Ostfildern:HatjeCantz,2007.
Becker,OlafOtto.AboveZero.Ostfildern:HatjeCantz,2009.
Becker,OlafOtto.UndertheNordicLight:AJourneyThroughTime,Iceland1999-2011.
Ostfildern:HatjeCantz,2011.
Becker,OlafOtto.ReadingtheLandscape.Ostfldern:HatjeCantz,2014.
Bennett,Jane.VibrantMatter:APoliticalEcologyofThings.Durham:DukeUniversityPress,
2010.
Buckland,David,ed.BurningIce:ArtandClimateChange.London:CapeFarewell,2006.
Davidson,Peter.TheIdeaofNorth.London:Reaktion,2005.
Dunaway,Finis.NaturalVisions:ThePowerofImageinAmericanEnvironmentalReform.
Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,2005.
Ewing,WilliamA.“TillIt’sGone…”InReadingtheLandscape,editedbyOlafOttoBecker,8-
10.Ostfildern:HatjeCantz,2014.
Freeman,BarbaraClaire.“TheFeminineSublime.”InTheSublime,editedbySimonMorley,
64-66.LondonandMassachusetts:WhitechapelGalleryandMITPress,2010.
Gilroy-Hirtz,Petra.“OlafOttoBecker’sPhotographsofIceland.”InUndertheNordicLight:A
journeyThroughTime,Iceland1999-2011,editedOlafOttoBecker,8-10.Ostfildern:
HatjeCantz,2011.
Guggenheim,Davis.AnInconvenientTruth,DVD.ParamountHomeEntertainment.2006.
Heine,Ulrike.“HowPhotographyMatters:OnProducingMeaninginPhotobooksonClimate
Change.”InImagePoliticsofClimateChange,editedbyBirgitSchneiderandThomas
Nocke,273-298.Bielefeld:TranscriptVerlag,2014.
Kollmuss,AnjaandJulianAgyeman.“MindtheGap:WhyDoPeopleActEnvironmentally
andwhataretheBarrierstoPro-EnvironmentalBehaviour?”Environmental
EducationResearch8,no.3(2002):239-260.
Langer,Freddy.“SymphonyofIce.”InAboveZero,editedbyOlafOttoBecker,8-11.
Ostfildern:HatjeCantz,2007.
Magnason,AndriSnÆr.“ProtectingtheAppliesbutChoppingtheTrees.”InArcticVoices:
ResistanceattheTippingPoint,editedSubhankarBanerjee,107-121.NewYork:
SevenStories,2013.
Martinsson,TyronneandMarieDesplechin,eds.ExpeditionSvalbard:LostViewsonthe
ShorelineofEconomy.Gottingen:Steidl,2015.
Matilsky,BarbaraC.VanishingIce:AlpineandPolarLandscapesinArt,1775-2012.
Bellington,Washington:WhatcomMuseum,2013.
Milman,Oliver.“PlanetatitsHottestforin115,000yearsthankstoclimatechange,experts
say,”TheGuardian,October4,2016.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/oct/03/global-temperature-
climate-change-highest-115000-years.
Morley,Simon,ed.“Introduction:TheContemporarySublime.”InTheSublime,editedby
SimonMorley,12-21.LondonandMassachusetts:WhitechapelGalleryandMIT
Press,2010.
Moore,JasonW.CapitalismintheWebofLife:EcologyandtheAccumulationofCapital.
London:NewYork:Verso,2015.
Morris,EdwardandSusannaSayler.“ThePensivePhotographasAgent:WhatCanNon-
IllustrativeImagestoGalvanisePublicSupportforClimateChangeAction?”InImage
PoliticsofClimateChange:Visualisations,Imaginations,Documentations,editedby
BirgitSchneiderandThomasNocke,299-322.Bielefeld:TranscriptVerlag,2014.
Orlowski,Jeff.ChasingIce,DVD.London:Dogwoof.2012.
Reuters,“AntarcticSeaIceSinksToSmallestEverExtent,”TheGuardian,February14,2017.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/14/antarctic-sea-ice-shrinks-to-
smallest-ever-extent.
Schaden,Christoph.“WaysandLines.”InBrokenLine,editedbyOlafOttoBecker,140-2.
Ostfildern:HatjeCantz,2007.
Schuster,Joshua.“BetweenManufacturingandLandscapes:EdwardBurtynskyandthe
PhotographyofEcology.”PhotographyandCulture6:2(2013):193-212.
Shinkle,Eugenie.“PreludetoaFuture:GlobalRiskandEnvironmentalApocalypsein
ContemporaryLandscapePhotography.”InEmergingLandscapes:Between
ProductionandRepresentation,editedbyDavideDeriu,KrystalliaKamvasinou,and
EuegnieShinkle,29-38.Farnham:Ashgate,2014.
Seaman,Camille.MeltingAway:ATen-YearJourneythroughOurEndangeredPolarRegions.
NewYork:PrincetonArchitecturalPress,2015.
Solnit,Rebecca.“PoisonPictures.”InStormingtheGatesofParadise:Landscapesfor
Politics,editedbyRebeccaSolnit,135-139.Berkeley;LosAngelesandLondon:
UniversityofCaliforniaPress,2007.
Smithson,Robert.“FrederickLawOlmstedandtheDialecticalLandscape.”InTheSublime,
editedbySimonMorley,113-118.LondonandMasschusetts:WhitechapelGallery
andMITPress,2010.
Spufford,Francis.IMayBeSomeTime:IceandtheEnglishImagination.London:Faberand
Faber,1996.
Steffen,Konrad.“ObservationsatSwissCamp.”InAboveZero,editedbyOlafOttoBecker,
166-168.Ostfildern:HatjeCantz,2009.
Thompson,Andrea.“SeeEarth’stemperaturespiraltoward2degreerise–graphic,”The
Guardian,May10,2016.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/may/10/see-earths-temperature-
spiral-toward-2c-rise-graphic.
Tollmann,Vera.“TheUncannyPolarBear:ActivistsVisuallyAttackanOverlyEmotionalise
ImageClone.”InImagePoliticsofClimateChange:Visualisation,Imaginations,
Documentations,editedbyBirgitSchneiderandThomasNocke,249-272.Bielefeld:
TranscriptVerlag,2014.
Wells,Liz,ed.LandscapesofExploration.Plymouth:UniversityofPlymouthPress,2012.
World Wildlife Fund. Arctic Climate Change, n.d.
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/arctic/what_we_do/climate/.
Top Related