Joshua Tree
2003
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
gelatin silver print
Dimensions
image/sheet: 19 × 24.1 cm (7 1/2 × 9 1/2 in.) mount: 40.6 × 50.8 cm (16 × 20 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of J. Patrick and Patricia A. Kennedy
Accession Number
2020.163.55
Art Historical Context
Mark Ruwedel's *Joshua Tree* (2003) captures the stark beauty of the American Southwest in a gelatin silver print, a traditional black-and-white photographic process prized for its rich tonal gradations and subtle textures. Measuring 19 × 24.1 cm on a larger 40.6 × 50.8 cm mount, this intimate yet evocative image likely centers on the iconic Joshua tree (Yuucca brevifolia), a resilient desert sentinel native to California's Mojave Desert. Ruwedel's work often explores altered landscapes, blending documentary precision with poetic contemplation, inviting viewers to reflect on nature's endurance...
About the Artist
Mark Ruwedel
Mark Ruwedel, born on June 11, 1954, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, initially pursued painting, earning a BFA from Kutztown State College in 1978. He transitioned to photography during this time, later obtaining an MFA from Concordia University in Montreal in 1983. Working as a custom printer in Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1980 honed his technical skills before he relocated to Canada, where he taught a...