Untitled (portrait of little girl and baby) 1963

Editor: This photograph, an Untitled portrait of a little girl and baby, is credited to Lucian and Mary Brown. It's compact, only about 4 by 5 inches. I find the reversal to be quite striking. What stories do you think it tells? Curator: The photographic negative immediately makes me consider representation and its inherent power dynamics. Who gets to be seen, and how? The children’s whiteness is amplified by this reversal, potentially speaking to historical biases in photographic practices. How might this image be interpreted through the lens of racial visibility? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered! Curator: And consider the collaborative credit: Lucian *and* Mary Brown. What does it mean when artistic credit is shared, especially considering potential gender dynamics within the family unit? Editor: I'm taking so much away from this; it's more layered than I thought. Curator: Exactly! Even seemingly simple images can reveal complex social histories.