Mary Peck (b. 1952 Minneapolis, Minnesota), Elwha River at Lake Mills, Olympic Peninsula, Washington, 1997, gelatin silver print,  8 1/2 in. x 23 1/2 in. (21.6 cm x 59.7 cm), Gift of Sandra Cohen Bakalar (Class of 1955) 1998.32

In this photograph, Mary Peck re-envisions the Washington Olympic Peninsula through the contemplative lens of analog photography, evoking themes of stillness and balance by the lake. The black and white print features a strong tonal gradient and highlights the contrast between the still background and the motion of the rippling water. Peck’s expansive landscape, following in the footsteps of photographer Ansel Adams, uses crisp horizontal and vertical lines in perpendicular intersection to capture the panoramic experience. The tranquility of this scene, emphasized by sweeping mountains and a low horizon line, is an idyllic representation of the Elwha River. In the early 1900’s, the Elwha dam was built on the river to increase lumber supply and economic growth for the region, but blocked salmon migration and flooded the homes and cultural sites of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe as a consequence. The complete absence of human figures, given Peck’s knowledge of the dam’s negative impact on the river, raises questions about the destructive impact of humans on nature.

-Sydney Milke, Class of 2020

Gift of Sandra Cohen Bakalar (Class of 1955)