Empty Bowl with Canopy (horizontal) 1989

Editor: This black and white photograph by James Casebere, called "Empty Bowl with Canopy," features a stark composition. The bowl is strikingly simple, yet there’s a sense of melancholy. What symbolic weight do you see in this carefully arranged scene? Curator: The bowl, often a symbol of nourishment and community, appears empty, evoking absence. The canopy above—a shelter—casts shadows, suggesting uncertainty. Consider how Casebere uses these symbols to evoke feelings of isolation and perhaps even loss. What cultural memories might these forms trigger? Editor: It makes me think about basic needs, and what happens when they aren't met. Curator: Precisely. Casebere, through his constructed realities, uses familiar imagery to tap into our collective understanding of home, safety, and sustenance, then subverts our expectations. It makes us question what these symbols mean. Editor: I never thought about how much meaning could be packed into a simple bowl! Curator: Indeed, and the play of light and shadow further emphasizes these themes, reminding us that even in apparent simplicity, complex narratives reside.