Untitled (bridal party posed in studio) c. 1945

Curator: This arresting photograph, by John Deusing, is simply titled "Untitled (bridal party posed in studio)." The date remains unknown, but it is an 8x10 inch print currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first impression is… haunting. The inverted tones give this traditional image of a wedding party a spectral, almost unsettling quality. Curator: Yes, the negative image format certainly amplifies the symbolic weight carried by such an event. The bride, adorned in white – or, in this case, its photographic inverse – stands as a potent, timeless figure. Editor: But who had access to these rituals? Whose unions were celebrated and whose were erased or actively suppressed? Seeing the ghostly figures, I can't help but wonder about the societal structures at play here. Curator: Certainly, the symbolism inherent in the bridal gown, the flowers, the very act of posing for posterity, speaks to established customs, a collective imagining of marriage and family. Editor: Absolutely, the composition frames these individuals, but the ghostly effect makes me think about the power dynamics and the conventional expectations they may have been stepping into. Curator: This inverted image makes us reflect on the symbols, social expectations, and the cultural narratives embedded within an image and a moment in time. Editor: Indeed, it forces us to consider whose stories are missing from this picture and how social constructs influence our understanding of such deeply personal moments.