Untitled (woman and man at party) c. 1950

Curator: Howell's small, undated photograph captures a woman and man at a party, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. The negative image makes it feel rather ghostly. Editor: It does. The high contrast flattens the figures, and the grainy texture adds to this sense of a fleeting, perhaps unreliable, memory. Curator: The social context is key; we see a glimpse into a world of gatherings and social expectations, visible in the man's attire. The image suggests a certain level of social engagement. Editor: True, and yet the composition is quite interesting. The figures seem almost awkwardly placed, creating a sense of unease amid the festive context. The Kodak film markings are visible too. Curator: Perhaps Howell meant to highlight the constructed nature of these social gatherings, pointing to the artifice behind the celebration, while at the same time, capturing the zeitgeist of party photography. Editor: I see it slightly differently: the contrast and composition are compelling, even though the social dynamics remain opaque. It is an intriguing snapshot regardless of its setting.