Untitled (woman seated in chair with dolls by Christmas tree) c. 1940

Editor: This is an untitled photograph by John Deusing, showing a woman seated with dolls by a Christmas tree. It's haunting, almost ghostly, due to the inverted tones. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a fascinating interplay between domesticity and the photographic process itself. The negative image highlights the materiality of photography – the film, the chemical process, the darkroom labor required to produce an image. Editor: So, it's not just about the woman and her dolls? Curator: Not entirely. Consider the Christmas tree, a mass-produced commodity, alongside the handmade dolls. Deusing seems to be asking us to consider the relationship between mass culture, individual craft, and how photography mediates our perception of both. Editor: That's a totally different way of looking at it. I'll remember to consider the materiality and production processes in future interpretations. Curator: Precisely. Thinking about those elements will offer you a new perspective into the artwork!