Untitled (children dressed up as cowboys) 1953

Curator: Before us we have an untitled photograph by Lucian and Mary Brown, depicting children dressed as cowboys. It’s a small gelatin silver print, roughly 4 by 5 inches. Editor: The image seems to document a moment of pure play—I immediately consider the conditions that allowed for such uninhibited expression. Curator: Note how the light, even in this negative, shapes our reading; the central child is brightly illuminated, drawing the eye, while the other resides more in shadow. Editor: Right, and thinking about the materiality itself, the photographic process suggests an access to resources and a leisure afforded by specific economic circumstances. Curator: Perhaps it's the formal contrasts that elevate this seemingly simple snapshot to something more enduring. Editor: I see that, and yet, it's the implied social commentary that really resonates with me. The photograph is very telling of the socio-economic environment.