New York after 1955

Editor: This is "New York" by Harry Callahan, an undated photograph. It depicts dismembered mannequin parts, legs mostly, arranged in a surreal tableau. It's quite unsettling! What do you see in this image? Curator: It's intriguing to consider this work within the context of mid-20th-century consumer culture and the rise of advertising. How does Callahan use the fragmented body to comment on the objectification inherent in these industries? Editor: So, you're saying it's not just a strange picture, but a critique of how women were represented then? Curator: Exactly. Think about the public role of photography and how Callahan subverts its conventional uses in fashion or retail displays. It makes you question the politics of such imagery, doesn't it? Editor: It certainly does. I hadn't thought of it that way. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It's important to view art as a reflection of the society that produces and consumes it.