Untitled (boy wearing suit) c. 1950

Editor: This is an intriguing untitled photograph, depicting a boy in a suit, credited to Lucian and Mary Brown. The negative’s tonality is disorienting, yet it calls attention to its materiality. What do you see in this piece that speaks to you? Curator: It's fascinating to consider the photographic process itself. The use of a negative suggests a specific technology and era of production. How does the reversal of light and dark affect our understanding of the sitter's social position, and the labor involved in creating this image? Editor: It almost feels like an x-ray, revealing a hidden truth. I hadn’t considered the labor involved. Curator: Precisely. Thinking about the chemicals, equipment, and skills required shifts our focus from mere representation to the act of making, and the social context of photography itself. Editor: That's a completely different way of looking at it. Thanks! Curator: Indeed. Understanding the means of production gives us a new lens through which to view the subject.