Tower of London Date Unknown

Curator: Standing before us is a photograph titled "Tower of London," created with the albumen print process. Editor: There’s something deeply melancholic about this sepia-toned vista. It feels frozen, the grand Tower looming above everything like a symbol of immutable power. Curator: The albumen process was interesting, a relatively new photographic printing technology in the mid-19th century. It involved using egg whites to bind the photographic chemicals to the paper. You can see the subtle sheen and tonality achieved. Editor: I think the choice to photograph it in this way also really brings forth questions around England’s Colonial project: its structures, impact, and how this photograph almost participates in glorifying a complicated historical trajectory and narrative. Curator: Right, think about the photographer and the social class from which that labor came, shaping their point of view and choices for framing a subject. Also, we should think about who this imagery catered to - photography made images more accessible to larger markets, and in turn generated commerce. Editor: And in terms of power, look at the architecture itself. It physically manifests social control. The very bricks speak of a history soaked in imprisonment, execution, and political machinations, reflecting very limited and exclusive access to material wealth. It has housed royalty, and served as a garrison; all indicative of its role in shaping social and political hierarchies. Curator: It becomes really useful when you then also factor in that the Tower was a prime tourist destination, especially when photography became a trend. People, commerce, industry...they all get caught up in producing art and culture! Editor: So while appearing static, as an image it holds multiple, interwoven histories and presents complex issues to think through. Its monochrome pallette lends to an air of permanence, but when looking into the image we quickly discover a deeper, evolving story. Curator: Precisely! We could probably stand here much longer digging deeper into this particular depiction of The Tower of London. Editor: Absolutely! I have already developed many new ways of viewing the image myself.