Untitled (children and cat) 1971

Curator: Susan Gittleman’s black and white photograph, "Untitled (children and cat)," presents us with a rather enigmatic scene. Editor: My first thought is how dreamlike it feels, almost as if viewing a memory through a veil. Curator: Precisely, and I think the softness of the image speaks to Gittleman's interest in capturing intimate, ephemeral moments of childhood, and how those memories are often mediated by factors like gender and class. Look at how the ghostly figures of the children are juxtaposed with the cat in the window; it creates a sense of longing, perhaps, for something just out of reach. The image's ambiguity challenges the notion of a fixed, objective reality. Editor: I agree; the cat, almost a shadow itself, adds to the feeling of distance. It reminds us that even within domestic spaces, boundaries exist, shaped by social and personal histories. Curator: Absolutely. Hopefully, this image encourages us to question the stories we tell ourselves about family, childhood, and belonging. Editor: It’s a powerful reminder that images, like memories, are never truly transparent.