Everything we engage with as humans is made up of signs. From language, to images, to buildings, to nature. From this viewpoint, landscape photographs signify a direct connection with the nature that they captured, but are in their essence removed in time and space from that which they represent through human intervention. While everything in nature is connected semiotically (meaning everything communicates with everything) the irony is that something like railroad tracks (that actually in their essence connect) are not at all connected with the natural environment in which they find themselves.

This photograph represents an ecosemiotic approach to landscape photography, in which I study the sign relations between nature and culture (“culture” in this instance meaning “man-made”). The central focus of ecosemiotics entails the role of concepts (sign-based models people have) in and of an environment. In accordance with this, this work is a landscape that has been changed by something man-made. In this case, railroad tracks. The concept behind this is an ecological comment on how nature, in its relation to culture, cannot outrun culture.

The gold colour, and the title, of the paper plays on the common saying “all that glitters is not gold” – meaning that not everything that LOOKS precious or good, IS actually so. Thus, the relationship between nature and culture is not a give and take relationship, but rather an enforcement based relationship. While the lines all imply movement and connectiveness, NONE of it is actually connected to the immediate environment. It moves through – exploits the space to fulfil an end. 

The photos are all taken from a moving car – enforcing the removal of culture and nature even more.