Plate Number 184. Walking on hands and feet 1887

Editor: Here we have Eadweard Muybridge's "Plate Number 184. Walking on hands and feet," made in 1887. It's a gelatin silver print showing a sequence of a nude figure's movement. I'm struck by how clinical it feels, like a scientific study, and it seems so detached from the reality of human experience. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Exactly! This clinical approach is key. While ostensibly scientific, Muybridge's work operates within a specific historical and social context, raising questions about representation and the gaze. What does it mean to dissect and display the human form in this way? Think about the Victorian era's obsession with categorizing and controlling bodies, particularly women and people of color. Editor: So, it’s less about pure science and more about power dynamics? Curator: Precisely. Consider how Muybridge’s work, while groundbreaking technically, participated in solidifying certain power structures. Who is being observed, and who is doing the observing? The photographic process itself was often used to "document" and therefore control marginalized communities. Does this series feel exploitative? Editor: It definitely changes my perspective. I was focused on the technique, but I see how the act of observation carries its own weight. I can’t ignore the lack of agency displayed by the figure. Curator: Absolutely. And by examining the context in which these images were created, we can start a broader dialogue about visual representation, the history of science, and the enduring power of the gaze. It challenges us to think critically about the narratives embedded within seemingly objective images. Editor: This really opens up so many layers to consider beyond the surface of the images themselves. I appreciate the shift in perspective.