Untitled (street scene at night) c. 1935

Curator: This silver gelatin print, "Untitled (street scene at night)" by C. Bennette Moore, captures a hazy nighttime street corner. It’s a small work, only about 4 by 5 inches. I find it rather ghostly. Editor: The figures rendered as ghostly shadows speak to the photographic process itself—the immersion of treated paper into chemical baths. It highlights photography's role in capturing ephemeral moments of labor and transit. Curator: Yes, and consider the social context. This image, though undated, points to street photography's rise in the early 20th century. It democratized art, documenting everyday life beyond the elite. Editor: Exactly! We see a city scene, seemingly candid, yet framed. It reveals the photographer’s hand in shaping our view of public life, and perhaps even documenting a type of labor no longer existent. Curator: An interesting perspective. It is, in essence, a record of both a time and a technology, reflecting the evolving role of the image in our society. Editor: Indeed, from the materiality to the medium, the image invites us to reflect on how photographs construct narratives about history.