Morethanfortyyearsago,RichardS.BuswellchosetherelicsofMontana’spastashisrawmaterial.Overtime,infivebooks,hehassharpenedhisfocus,movingfrompanoramicvistasofabandonedbuildingstometiculouslycomposed,tightlyframeddepictionsofnaturalandman-madeobjectsagainststarkblackbackgrounds.Hehasshiftedtheviewer’sattentionfromhissubjectstotheformandstructureofhispictures.AlthoughrootedinBuswell’sexperienceasalifelongMontanan,thephotographsinthisbookarenomore(orless)“about“MontanathanJamesJoyce’sDubliners,PortraitofanArtist,orUlyssesare“about“Dublin.MostbooksaboutWesternghosttownsandhistoricalartifactsaboundinsentiment.Theycomfortuswiththeillusionthatwecanrecoverwhathasbeenlost.WhatTheyLeftBehindremindsusthattimecarriesusonwarddespiteourwishestoremaininthepast.
