Looks very Edward Weston to me with Chili peppers instead of Bell Peppers - except for the chili on fire....all are typical of some of art gallery images you find in New Mexico. Very well done!
Ah Kathy, you are perhaps, missing my point or else overlooking a little the unique symbolism of the photograph with destructive fire that had been
observed by Gary to have burnt a house down!
These pictures do not show the chili peppers on fire. Rather they contain that fire destructive to humans! That is why I remarked on their symbolism as missiles for war!
This constitutes a startling progression from previous representations of the bell peppers "typical of some of art gallery images you find in New Mexico". Of course, this could have been done many times before, and then I'd give those guys credit instead! Gary has taken the subject much further.
Whether or not Gary was aware of the symbolism, the threat of nuclear extinction is ingrained into our psyche. Immediately our subconscious knows the meaning even though we may not understand it on a conscious level. This is how our ideas become infectious, memes that spread from person to person so easily. This is like a crucifix, that does not have to be explained. We see a stark tree on the top of a hill, 2/3 of the height of the picture sky in "Catholic Blue", of many famous images, and that tree is important far beyond it's dead wood and ordinary esthetic interest. Why is that? The two thousand year history of the Crucifix acts to provide energy to an otherwise merely interesting old tree in great light. One does not have to believe in Jesus, the mechanism of assigning importance, even reluctantly occurs whether you like it or not. That's why we have to always question what we value and cherish what we confirm.
Using the fire of a blazing house is not a neutral matter even if the photographer thinks he is merely adding an interesting element to spice up the image. One cannot ignore the provenance of that fire and the shape of the chili pepper!
OF course, I take a huge risk in being sharply repudiated by Gary, but hey, these are just my own take on the matter!
Asher