Untitled 

Editor: Here we have an Untitled photograph by Miguel Rio Branco. It's a gelatin-silver print depicting a rather worn-down car parked against a large concrete wall. There's a real sense of urban decay, a feeling of abandonment clinging to the scene. What strikes you most when you look at it? Curator: It's precisely that feeling that grabs me. This image speaks volumes about the politics of visibility. What is Rio Branco asking us to see by choosing this particular car, in this particular state, against that imposing wall? Editor: Politics of visibility? I'm intrigued. Curator: Think about it. This isn't a pristine, gleaming vehicle. It's weathered, showing its age. The setting – a stark, grey cityscape dominated by that imposing wall – adds to this sense of neglect. Whose stories are typically amplified and whose are sidelined within urban environments? This photograph prompts reflection upon power structures and who or what tends to be overlooked within urban contexts. Does it seem deliberate, the way Rio Branco composes this shot, almost as if staging a confrontation? Editor: Now that you mention it, the car almost seems 'posed' in front of the wall. But why? Curator: The 'pose,' as you call it, invites scrutiny. The car, a symbol of personal freedom and mobility, appears trapped, almost suffocated by the urban landscape. Consider, too, the historical context: Who has access to those symbols, and who doesn't? What barriers—economic, social, or otherwise—might prevent someone from attaining that ideal? The gelatin-silver print, as a medium, also links back to specific documentary photography traditions invested in social realities. What did you notice about the way the photograph looks, or maybe doesn't look? Editor: Well, the blacks are really dark, there's very little contrast overall. That's probably contributing to the gloomy feeling I felt when I first saw the work. It sort of overwhelms the subject of the photograph. Curator: Exactly. The image’s starkness, devoid of vibrant color, perhaps underscores a critique of urban development or even social disparities. Through choices like this one, the artist challenges us to consider what gets remembered, and what gets actively forgotten or silenced, within our urban environments. It isn't just a picture of a car; it’s a visual commentary on power and marginalization. Editor: I never thought a photograph of an old car could say so much about social commentary! I am viewing this image completely differently now.