Untitled (West Allis Skate Club) c. 1940

Curator: This intriguing image, an untitled photograph by John Deusing, depicts the West Allis Skate Club. Editor: It's strikingly eerie, almost ghostly, with that inverted tonality and uniformly dressed figures. Curator: Indeed. Consider that the negative print process was quite common at the time, and the image would have been seen differently as a result. Editor: What stands out to me is the group's homogeneity. The image speaks to the ways in which these social clubs fostered—or demanded—a very specific kind of belonging. What were the conditions of entry, and who was excluded? Curator: That’s a valuable point. Sporting clubs like this one served as important social and community hubs, particularly in localized urban areas. Editor: Knowing this was the West Allis Skate Club, I imagine it represents a very particular demographic and class. Curator: Reflecting on it, I see now how the image captures both a sense of collective identity and perhaps the subtle enforcement of social norms. Editor: Exactly, art has the power to reveal those unspoken aspects of our shared past.