Untitled (It seems the whole family) 1979

Editor: This is an intriguing black and white photograph by Bill Dane, seemingly titled "It seems the whole family." There's a domed structure, maybe an aviary, surrounded by water, and a person reading a newspaper in the foreground. It feels…observational, almost detached. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a commentary on spectatorship and confinement. The aviary becomes a metaphor for societal structures, and the man reading the newspaper perhaps represents our passive consumption of information, oblivious to the realities of those enclosed. What does "family" mean in this context? Is it literal, or a broader critique of belonging and exclusion? Editor: That's a powerful interpretation. I hadn't considered the aviary as a symbol of confinement. Curator: Consider how Dane uses the everyday—a newspaper, a family outing—to subtly question our roles within larger systems. It's about prompting us to look beyond the surface and engage with the underlying social dynamics at play. Editor: I see it now. It’s less about the ducks and more about…us. Thanks for sharing that perspective! Curator: Indeed. Art can be a mirror, reflecting our own participation in these structures.