Charity, Public: United States. Massachusetts. Bridgewater. State Farm: State Farm: Day Room West Wing 1st Floor. c. 1900

Editor: This photograph, by Bass Photo, shows the day room in the West Wing of the Bridgewater State Farm. It feels quite empty and austere. What does this space evoke for you? Curator: This image presents a sanitized view of a space that likely held complex and often oppressive social dynamics. State farms, particularly in this era, were sites of labor and control, often disproportionately impacting marginalized communities. Editor: Control? How so? Curator: The image’s depopulated aesthetic belies the reality of institutional power. The carefully arranged chairs and tables, the stark light – these speak to a system designed to manage and regulate bodies. Consider who occupied this space, and under what conditions. Editor: I didn’t consider the power dynamics at play here. It’s more than just an empty room. Curator: Exactly. By interrogating the historical context, we can reveal the subtle yet pervasive ways in which social institutions shape individual experience.