My Cousin's Portrait, Weston, Massachusetts 1996

Curator: This is "My Cousin's Portrait, Weston, Massachusetts" by Shellburne Thurber, held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: There's something unsettlingly staged about this. The portrait, the floral curtains, the lone chair. It feels like a diorama. Curator: Thurber explores representations of young girls in domestic spaces, often probing the visual and social constructs of femininity. Editor: The candles, the portrait... It speaks to a societal obsession with innocence and preservation. It is as if childhood is curated. Curator: It's interesting how the composition draws our eye to the portrait of the girl, almost as a primary focus. How do the objects play a role here? Editor: The mirror, the chair, the floral patterns. It seems to question the performative aspect of girlhood, where these objects act as a backdrop for a constructed identity. Curator: Thurber's work often challenges the traditional portrait, disrupting expectations of idealized representation. Editor: Yes, it's a critical look at how girls are framed within these spaces, both literally and figuratively. Curator: This piece prompts us to consider how portraits can either reflect or challenge societal norms around gender. Editor: The portrait really evokes how we project our ideas of purity and childhood onto the image of young girls. It makes one think.