Untitled (three men at desk) 1951

Editor: This silver gelatin print, "Untitled (three men at desk)" by Peter James Studio, shows a moment frozen in time. It feels very staged, with all three men in crisp shirts and ties. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Consider the desk, the focal point. What materials are present? We see paper, promotional material, and tools. What do they suggest about the labor involved? Editor: It looks like they are manufacturing something. Is that what you mean? Curator: Precisely. The production and consumption of goods, the manipulation of materials, and the social context of labor are central here. The means of production are on full display. I wonder what the commodity is... Editor: I see. It's less about the final product and more about the process of making it. I hadn't thought about it that way.