Untitled (field with buildings, Armo Mills Broiler operations) c. 1950

Curator: This is an untitled photograph by Harry Annas, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. It depicts a field with buildings, specifically the Armo Mills Broiler operations. Editor: My initial response is of stark contrast; the inverted tones create a sense of unease and desolation. Curator: Absolutely. Annas’s choice to document the Armo Mills Broiler operations raises questions about labor, consumption, and the industrialization of agriculture. The materiality of the image itself, a photographic negative, speaks to a process of revealing hidden aspects. Editor: I’m intrigued by how the inverted tones emphasize the skeletal structure of the trees, almost as if the photograph is dissecting nature’s own architecture alongside the industrial presence. Curator: Perhaps this negative process serves as a stark reminder of the hidden costs associated with these operations. Editor: Indeed, the visual contrast makes us reflect on the environmental impact and the labor involved in the broiler industry. Curator: It certainly provides a new perspective on the socio-economic context of this rural landscape.