Canyon Home, a photo from Utah, West

Photographer's Note

This is not really a home, but was once. There are many small caves here in Dragon Canyon near Monticello and Blanding, Utah. Some, like this, have been sealed over with door and windows added. It just gets too damp, though, even in Utah's dry climate. Sealed, off, the walls start to mold inside as moisture gathers.

I worked with the Smithsonian Institution during this year as a State Scholar for their "Barn Again!" travelling exhibition. Old barns in the U.S. are vanishing at an alarming rate, and the U.S. is losing part of its heritage at the same time. I'm not sure why in the U.S. we must build disposable buildings. It is fun to go to Europe and Asia to see buildings that are hundreds--even thousands--of years old. In the U.S., we tear our buildings down when the architecture goes out of style, and few people want to preserve them.

This "barn" has been here since the 1950s, though, and in this very remote place, it will probably last another 50 years. Let's hope!

sulucas, kanzoo, Nottinghill, laxpix, Catli heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

lemon_logix (1054) 2004-02-19 23:18

How interesting. That means you don't get to go inside the house. Great tones!

maciekda (19895) 2004-02-19 23:51

very interesting picture, I have never seen such "house" before, very original way of sealing a cave. I like "the bicycle" too. I wish I could see more details of the front of the house, but then we wouldl not see the wall of the cave.. anyway, nice picture

nmess (2301) 2004-02-20 0:02

Great find David. I look for these things too when I travel and agree they do seem to lack the respect most of the world pays to their olf buildings. The Photo is very appealing with the red hue and odd details. Very well done.

snuggleaphagus (4146) 2004-02-20 1:32

These colors are so lovely. This little 'house' seems to belong ina story of fairies and little enchanted beings. I like the reflection on the windows, and the bike frame gives a snese of abandonement.
I share your views on the impermanence of American buildings.

cool_s15 (4050) 2004-02-20 1:50

Beautiful shot! I really like the warm color on the "Cayon home" Very nice captured with an Informative note.

orme (7219) 2004-02-20 2:00

A fascinating photo, David, and an very interesting note. I like the lovely rich colours in the rock and the bright reflection in the windows. Well done. Thank you for sharing it.

henrye (3500) 2004-02-20 2:44

Very interesting note. Very interesting photo too. It's great to see something of your passion for your heritage.
Good composition, and I like the colors. Well done!

olli (2091) 2004-02-20 2:56

Excellent subject – very-very interesting place. Beautiful light and red tones. The bike is a great detail. I´m not sure but it looks a bit that there have been some horseshoes hanged over the window(?) – if it is so, I like the symbolism of that detail.
I would crop a bit from the bottom.
Very well seen and captured.

clodreno (0) 2004-02-20 4:51

Nice image and very interesting note you added. I agree with you. And don't think that in Europe the same thing isn't happeneing. It is, but I think the worst I have see is in China, where they really destroy all the old buildings.. Terrible.

Let's hope. thank's you are doing something for it.

Eagle78 (1933) 2004-02-20 4:58

Amazing arquitecture here David. This house is a litle piece of art. Love the colors from the rocks and thanks for your note ;)

milloup (1829) 2004-02-20 5:21

Great capture of a very interesting structure. Good colours - your reds again ;-))
Best of luck with preserving your heritage. For a keen genealogist like myself there's nothing like the kick you get out of discovering the house your G6-grandfather built - still standing proud. If you tear it all down, then noone over there will ever get that experience.

avigur_11 (22553) 2004-02-20 6:00

Amazing tones of red, a beautiful rock and "house". I tried to workshop it. I can't say that this is an improvement but I found some interesting golden tones. Well done, David

[workshop] [compare]

Motrem (2392) 2004-02-20 8:26

Unpublished subject for me with an interesting note. The colours of the cliff and the sight of the inside through the window leaves place with the imagination. Good shot! I like very much.
Sujet inédit pour moi avec une note intéressante. Les couleurs de la roche et la vue de l'intérieur par la fenêtre laisse place à l'imagination. Bien fait. J'aime beaucoup.

PLD_images (7149) 2004-02-20 8:28

Wow what a shot David. A favorite for me. I have never seen this kind of architecture before. This is why I love TE so much, so I can learn like with your photo. Great colors and tones.

As for your comment, I agree with you 100%, we have the same problem here. It s a shame. You would like the old part of Quebec city because there are buildings more than 300 years old.

eelliott305 (776) 2004-02-20 12:28

Wonderful shot David. Those rich red tones in the rock are lovely. The door looks as though it might be quite interesting, and the old bike frame is a nice extra.

scalerman (26900) 2004-02-20 12:42

This is amazing. I assume hikers and campers can use it overnight? Built before the laws tightened up on such exploits in the NP's. Interesting peice of Americana here David.

Rockyboy (20598) 2004-02-20 14:11

Very nice picture, David. I like the colours and tha way of framing... Your note is also very intersting. Bravo!

torben (3100) 2004-02-20 14:41

Great image and interesting note. I once saw cave-dwellings like this in a small andalusian (south of Spain) village, they were probably a bit older than 50 years though, actually I find it amazing that this place is no more than 50 years old.

zto (268) 2004-02-20 14:48

Intresting note David, I hope it will stay for at least another 100 years. The red colur is really nice. I like that you have so much rock in the picture.

Georges (11185) 2004-02-20 15:00

Image pas si original pour moi car sur le sud de mon île précisément à Bonifacio je trouve ce type de commerce dans les grottes et je trouve géniales ces petites boutiques très sympathiques.
Bien vu la photo j'aime David et merci

Midnight_sun (1941) 2004-02-20 15:04

that house looks so out of place! Great colours, and the reflection shows another part of the canyon at sunset. Good informative note; i always thought it was odd that most houses are made of wood in america, especially in the hurricane belt. Good luck saving the barns.

manny (22032) 2004-02-21 2:01

Thanks for the note David. It is very informative and the picture actually reinforced the it. And it is the other way around too. The tone of colors here is very powerfully monochromatic thus, there is a sense of seriousness in this picture.

Didi (61589) 2004-03-10 3:03

C'est ce qu'on appelle en France les habitations troglodytes.
Très bonne composition avec de jolis tons ocre.

It is what is called in France the dwellings troglodytes. Very good composition with pretty ochre tone.

meeauw (26) 2004-03-15 0:59

beautiful! so smooth that i tought it was a painting! btw, if you love the old buildings, come to indonesia, especially semarang, and you'll find hundreds!

cdewet (0) 2004-03-22 9:40

David, Hi.
A veritable Hobbit House - one has to love it

sn00zie (2384) 2004-12-02 1:38

this is quite an interesting picture David. nice note too.. quite an interesting picture..

jb06 (150) 2006-01-31 20:13