Untitled (exterior of building and stairway) c. 1935

Editor: This photograph, "Untitled (exterior of building and stairway)" by C. Bennette Moore, has such a ghostly, almost dreamlike quality. It feels like two different locations overlaid on each other. What strikes you about the making of this image? Curator: I see a clear interest in the materiality of the photograph itself. The layering and blurring suggest an experimentation with darkroom techniques and multiple exposures, which distances the image from mere representation. The photograph is an object made. The resulting ethereal quality challenges traditional ideas of photography as pure documentation. Editor: So, instead of just capturing reality, Moore is using the process to create a new kind of reality. Curator: Precisely! It's about the labor involved, the manipulation of materials, and the conscious deconstruction of photographic conventions. Editor: That's fascinating. I'll definitely look at photography differently now. Curator: And I hope to see a new set of art from you!