Untitled (presentation at conference) 1952

Editor: This gelatin silver print, around 4 by 5 inches, by Peter James Studio, shows a conference presentation, very formal. What strikes me is the huge eagle backdrop. What do you make of it? Curator: That eagle looms large, doesn’t it? I see a fascinating play between power and performance. The photograph itself, like a captured moment from a dream, invites us to reflect on the theater of authority. Editor: Theater of authority, that’s interesting. The people seem so small under that eagle. Curator: Exactly. Peter James Studio has given us a stage. Is it a celebration or a critique? Perhaps it's both, a nuanced portrait of American ambition. Editor: I never thought of it that way, I just saw a picture of a conference. Curator: Sometimes, the most powerful art hides in plain sight.