Untitled (man holding girl in lap on lawn) c. 1950

Editor: Here we have an untitled photograph by Lucian and Mary Brown, showing a man holding a girl on his lap. It has a rather surreal feel. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The inverted tones immediately evoke questions of representation and power. Who are these figures, and what roles do they play in the family, in society? The absent mother figure, the man’s ambiguous gaze… it all speaks to constructed notions of masculinity and domesticity. Editor: So you see it as a commentary on social roles? Curator: It invites us to consider the societal expectations placed upon men and women, and how those expectations shape our understanding of identity and relationships. What does this photograph obscure and what does it reveal? Editor: It's fascinating how much can be unpacked from such a small, seemingly simple image. Thanks!