Untitled (man shaving) c. 1970

Editor: This black and white photograph, "Untitled (man shaving)" by Michael Mathers, shows a man in a seemingly vulnerable state. I'm struck by the mundane setting and the raw quality of the image. What stands out to you? Curator: I see a commentary on labor and masculinity, laid bare through the process of self-care. Consider the razor in his hand, a tool of daily ritual, contrasted with the backdrop of what appears to be a transient, almost derelict, space. Where does hygiene fit within a precarious existence? Editor: So, it's not just about the man, but the entire system that creates his circumstances? Curator: Precisely. The discarded objects, the wooden planks, are materials speaking of a specific social context. Mathers seems to be asking us: What are the costs of survival, and who bears them? Editor: I never thought of it that way before, analyzing it through the lens of labor and material conditions really opens it up.