[no title] 1997

Curator: Moffat, born in 1960, created this untitled gelatin silver print that now resides at the Tate. It strikes me as a poignant tableau of displacement. Editor: The print's sepia tone and slightly rough texture immediately evoke a sense of history and timelessness. What do you make of the clothing and the overall composition? Curator: The clothing seems purposefully ambiguous, not quite fitting any specific historical period. The figures are positioned at various distances. This spacing creates a sense of isolation. Editor: I think Moffat’s choice of gelatin silver is very deliberate. The labor intensive process and the chemical reactions involved in developing these images, the materiality speaks to cultural memory, and the stories embedded in the land. Curator: Absolutely. The sepia tone and subject matter also trigger associations with early ethnographic photography, prompting questions about who is looking and who is being looked at, and the complex power dynamics. Editor: Yes, it complicates the narrative, prompting viewers to examine the historical representation and exploitation of Indigenous communities. It’s an invitation to deconstruct established narratives. Curator: It’s a powerful piece prompting viewers to think about image-making and its impact on the representation of marginalized communities. Editor: The texture of the print reminds me that photography, like history, is made, constructed through choices of material and process.