Untitled (interior view of tiled bathroom with benches along one wall) 1947

Editor: This is Martin Schweig’s "Untitled (interior view of tiled bathroom with benches along one wall)." The date is unknown, and it's at the Harvard Art Museums. I’m struck by how the black and white photography transforms this mundane space into something sterile and almost unsettling. What stands out to you? Curator: It reminds me of institutional spaces, perhaps a bathhouse or a locker room, and I immediately think about the politics of hygiene and public health. The starkness could be a commentary on those systems, highlighting their often cold and impersonal nature. Do you see any echoes of social reform photography in its aesthetic? Editor: I hadn't considered the social aspect. I was more focused on the visual elements. I see the cleanliness as a symbol of control. Curator: Exactly. And who controls these spaces and dictates these standards of cleanliness? Photography like this makes us question the power dynamics inherent in these everyday environments. Editor: I'm now seeing the image in a completely different light. Thanks.