James Casebere constructs handmade models in his studio as the subjects of his photographs. Created in 1985, this work references the monumental formations of Utah’s Arches National Park, translating a vast natural landscape into a carefully crafted miniature diorama. The photograph also evokes Plato’s Cave, the ancient thought experiment about perception and reality. Just as Plato’s prisoners mistake shadows for a truthful depiction of reality, viewers initially read Casebere’s image as a depiction of a grand natural monument, only to discover that the seemingly expansive landscape is, in fact, a meticulously constructed model.