Untitled (group portrait of girls' field hockey team) 1948

Curator: This is John Howell's Untitled group portrait of a girls' field hockey team. It's a gelatin silver print, only about 4 by 5 inches. Editor: It’s striking how this comes across as ghostly. The reversed tones give them an almost ethereal, otherworldly quality. Curator: That reversal certainly amplifies the image's symbolic power. Consider how the team, a collective entity, gains an almost mythical status. What does this say about teamwork, belonging, and shared identity? Editor: I'm also drawn to the texture. You can almost feel the grain of the photographic paper and the slight imperfections, reminding us of the materiality of image making. Curator: Indeed. These visual artifacts connect us to the moment of its creation, and also to our cultural memory of sport and camaraderie. Editor: It's remarkable how a small, simple photograph can evoke such a range of feelings and reflections. Curator: Absolutely. It highlights how, even in the most quotidian subjects, the universal themes of time and togetherness are at play.