Untitled (young girls dressed in costume) c. 1940

Curator: John Deusing's "Untitled (young girls dressed in costume)," presents a poignant, if inverted, snapshot of childhood festivity. Editor: My first reaction is unease. The negative format and stark lighting give it an unsettling, almost ghostly quality. Curator: Precisely. Consider the social context—costumes, particularly in earlier eras, were often tied to performances of identity, reflecting or subverting societal expectations. This photo prompts questions about how gender and class are being enacted here. Editor: And the materiality, the photographic process itself, becomes central. The silver gelatin process, the darkroom labor, speaks to the democratization of portraiture. The ability to capture and reproduce an image changes how we see ourselves and others. Curator: Indeed. It's a potent reminder that even in playful settings, power dynamics and social constructs are at play. Editor: Absolutely. It’s fascinating how the transformation of the mundane, through the photographic craft, reveals so much about the subjects and society.