Untitled (exterior of home) c. 1950

Robert Burian's photographic negative captures a suburban home, rendered in stark monochrome. Imagine him, peering through the lens, wrestling with light and shadow to tease out the essence of this dwelling. It’s interesting to see a house depicted as a negative, its familiar features inverted, creating an eerie doppelganger. The dark siding of the house becomes bright, while the trees take on an otherworldly glow. I wonder what Burian was thinking when he chose to invert this scene? Perhaps he was interested in seeing the world anew or questioning our perceptions of what is familiar and safe. The texture of the grass and the siding are palpable, almost tactile, reminding us of the materiality inherent in the photographic process. This piece speaks to the wider dialogue among artists about how we see, interpret, and ultimately, construct our realities.