Untitled (three boys with model train set) c. 1950

Curator: This silver gelatin print, made by Lucian and Mary Brown, captures three boys engrossed with a model train set. It's a small, intimate scene—about 10 by 12 centimeters. Editor: It feels like stepping into a dream, all gray and shadowy. The boys almost blend into the background, like ghosts playing with their toys. Curator: The Browns, capturing what appears to be a domestic scene, give us a glimpse into childhood through a very specific lens of presumed mid-century American boyhood. The plaid shirts, the elaborate train set… Editor: It makes me think about control. Building these miniature worlds, playing God. There’s a certain power dynamic in that, even for a child. Curator: Yes, and considering the context of mid-20th century America, what does it mean for these boys to perform the roles they are expected to fulfill, and what realities are being unacknowledged? Editor: It’s a fascinating snapshot, isn’t it? A tiny world within a world, full of untold stories. Curator: Precisely, and I am drawn to the narratives embedded in these images.