How to Make a Landscape Speak? Photography, Aesthetics, and Environmental Histories

Landscapes hold traces of human histories—political, colonial, social, and economic. If they serve as records of histories and narratives—sometimes violent ones—how do photographers, acting as archaeologists of contemporary landscapes, translate these memories into images? And how do they engage with the political and aesthetic stakes of representing these territories?

In his exhibition a breathtaking, on view until May 14, 2025, at Hana Pietri Gallery (1433 W Chicago Avenue), French American photographer Julien Chatelin captures territories in transformation across the globe, revealing how grand narratives of modernization and development shape both land and perception. His images offer a visual archaeology of geopolitical ambition and ecological fragility.

Bert Geyer, a scholar and artist, investigates the aesthetic dimensions of U.S. imperial forestry at the turn of the 20th century, exploring how sensory experiences, land management practices, and colonial imaginaries intersect in reshaping environments across the Midwest, Caribbean, and Philippines.

Their conversation will focus on how visual and historical practices uncover the forces that shape landscapes—past and present—and how aesthetic and photographic approaches can reveal the entanglement of empire, ecology, and memory.

Followed by a wine and cheese reception.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

About Julien Chatelin

Julien Chatelin is a French American photographer known for his documentary and artistic projects exploring contemporary territories, including Israel Borderline and China West. His work has been exhibited internationally, and he has received awards including the Camera Clara Award and the Sony Awards.

About Bert Geyer

Bert Geyer is a PhD Candidate in Art History at University of Illinois Chicago, a Lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and co-leads the Anthropocene Lab at UIC’s Institute for the Humanities. His research has been supported by the Forest History Society and was recently shared with the Society of Architectural Historians.

More about Hana Pietri Gallery

Hana Pietri is an artist-run platform promoting self-taught and contemporary artists through exhibitions and projects aimed at fostering community and sustainable cultural engagement.

Contact: [email protected]