Untitled (woman looking over baby in crib) 1930 - 1950

Editor: This photograph by Martin Schweig, "Untitled (woman looking over baby in crib)," is a small black and white image of a woman looking down at an infant. The wicker bassinet seems to dominate the composition. What can we learn from the materials and process here? Curator: The photographic process itself is crucial. Consider the labor involved in creating this image, from setting up the shot to developing the negative. The stark contrast emphasizes the material reality of both mother and child and the constructed nature of domesticity. How does that affect your reading of the scene? Editor: It makes me think about the effort involved in early photography, the way it "captures" a moment but is also a very deliberate construction. Thanks, I will definitely look at photography with new eyes. Curator: Exactly. Reflecting on the means of production encourages us to see beyond the sentimental and engage with the social context of the work.