Untitled (women with flowers, looking at ring) c. 1950

Editor: This is an untitled photograph by John Howell, showing three women with flowers, one looking at a ring. It's a small black and white print. What strikes you about it? Curator: I see an interesting interplay between the organic, represented by the flowers, and the manufactured, perhaps symbolized by the ring. The photographic process itself is key. Note the chemical reactions, the labor involved in developing the image. Editor: So, beyond the subject matter, you're drawn to the method of production? Curator: Precisely. How does the process of creating this image influence our reading of its content, its potential commentary on social rituals and material culture? Editor: That's a new way to look at it. Thanks!