Untitled (pageant for parade queen) 1941

Editor: This is an intriguing photograph by Hamblin Studio, called "Untitled (pageant for parade queen)." I’m really interested in the materiality of the photographic process itself. What do you make of its social context? Curator: Considering this photograph as an object, it reflects the social dynamics of its time. Who were the Hamblin Studios, and how did they operate within the community? What materials did they use, and how did access to those materials shape their practice? Editor: So, you're thinking about the means of production, and how that relates to consumption? Curator: Exactly! It's not just about the image of the parade queen, but about the labor, the materials, and the economic forces at play in creating this representation. Editor: That’s a perspective I hadn’t considered; I'll definitely be thinking about the production more critically now.