Untitled (group portrait at dinner party) c. 1940

Curator: This is an "Untitled" photograph by John Deusing, part of a series of images taken at family gatherings. It captures a group portrait at a dinner party. Editor: It's striking how the negative space and high contrast create a somewhat eerie, almost ghostly effect. The image quality emphasizes the texture and materiality of the film itself. Curator: The composition is fascinating, isn't it? The arrangement of bodies, the backdrop, and the table setting all suggest a performative element of familial ritual. Editor: Exactly. The labor involved in preparing such a meal and the photographic process itself—the chemicals, the darkroom—speaks to a particular era of domesticity. The image becomes a record of consumption and social relations at that time. Curator: It's interesting to view this through the lens of family dynamics, power structures, and gender roles prevalent during the time period. Who is at the head of the table, who is serving, what are the unspoken expectations of this gathering? Editor: Yes, thinking about the context of labor and material production, shifts my view. Deusing's "Untitled" makes us consider the layers of work needed to produce this moment. Curator: Precisely, and it invites us to consider what these inherited traditions mean in our contemporary experience. Editor: Absolutely, a worthy photograph to consider!