Untitled (group of nurses posing for portrait) c. 1950

This photograph, taken by Robert Burian, presents a group of nurses. I am immediately struck by the monochromatic tones that ripple across the image. The inverted colour scheme transforms the familiar into something otherworldly, forcing a double-take. There's a formality to this image, heightened by its tonal range; the stark contrasts sculpt each face, emphasizing the texture of the nurses' uniforms. Light catches the edges of their caps, turning them into halos. The choice to invert the colours is intriguing, almost like a photographic negative where shadows are illuminated, and light recedes. It's as though Burian is asking us to reconsider how we perceive the world. Thinking about other artists who played with light and shadow, I am reminded of Diane Arbus's portraits, which similarly capture subjects in unconventional ways. Ultimately, what intrigues me most about this piece is how it challenges our visual assumptions, inviting us to explore the space between representation and abstraction.