Untitled (group portrait of men's club, men wearing hats) 1974

Curator: This intriguing gelatin silver print, of modest dimensions, presents a group portrait attributed to Ken Whitmire Associates. Editor: It's like a ghostly gathering, all gleaming white suits and curious hats. There's a story here, a secret language almost. Curator: Indeed. The men, presumably a club or society, are uniformly dressed. Think about the labor involved, the tailoring, the standardization of dress for this fraternal organization. Editor: I’m captivated by the hats, a uniformity that somehow underscores each face's individuality. Like a strange, beautiful chorus line of… well, of men. Curator: The photograph freezes a moment of collective identity. We are invited to consider the social and cultural structures that bind these individuals together. Editor: Yes! There’s an earnestness here, a desire to belong, that feels almost touchingly human. Curator: Whitmire's work serves as a historical document, and a study of community. Editor: It's made me wonder about their inside jokes, their shared history.