The bureau of operational landscapes

Abstract

The Bureau of Operational Landscapes examines the relationship between landscape photography and logistical landscapes, with the Port of Rotterdam as a specific case study. I argue that traditional photographic conventions are disrupted by the complex spatial configurations of logistics, proposing a new methodology to interpret and engage with such landscapes. Central to the study is “bureaucratic vision,” a concept describing how logistical landscapes produce a nonnegotiable and predetermined image that resists contestation. The Bureau of Operational Landscapes reimagines landscape photography as a more-than-representational act that solicits public engagement with logistical space. Combining practice-led and practice-based methodologies with scholarly analysis and storytelling, the dissertation draws from art history, cultural landscape studies, and artistic practice to develop an interdisciplinary — even nondisciplinary — approach. Using landscape photography and site-specific encounters, the project seeks to expand public perception and scrutiny of the port to encourage direct interaction with the logistical landscape.

By creating an “extra” role for landscape photography, one that focuses on the production and performance over the finality of the image, logistical sites are made legible and accessible beyond the official narrative that governs these vital yet often overlooked spaces. Ultimately, this dissertation offers insight into the complex relationship between logistics, landscape, and visual representation.