Women from Racha 1928

Editor: This striking black and white photograph, "Women from Racha," was taken in 1928 by David Kakabadzé. The heavy, dark drapery worn by the figures creates such a somber feeling. What elements of production do you find most compelling in this piece? Curator: Considering Kakabadzé's experimentation, it is worth asking what kind of labor went into producing not just the photographic print but the clothing displayed? The textiles here clearly possess cultural and perhaps even economic value. We should examine this through a materialist lens: what can this image tell us about the making, wearing, and circulation of traditional garments in that time and place? Editor: So, are you saying that focusing on the materiality of the clothing—its production and use—helps us understand the social context better? Curator: Precisely. It avoids romanticizing the image as simply a portrait, urging us instead to see it as a document reflecting the lives and labor embedded within those garments, and by extension, the community represented. Where do these garments originate from? How did the image reflect or influence contemporary issues of consumerism or gender roles? Editor: That makes me think differently about it. It’s no longer just an image of women; it’s about the resources, the labor, and even the economic realities tied to what they are wearing. Curator: Exactly. By tracing the material conditions of its creation and reception, we begin to excavate deeper layers of meaning. This approach invites an interrogation of the relationship between art, labor, and consumption, questioning who profits and who is obscured in the art historical narrative. Editor: That gives me so much to think about when viewing not just photographs, but any kind of portraiture. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. This approach makes us reconsider value, from an aesthetic analysis to the socio-economic circumstances.