Untitled (legs of injured patient in hospital) c. 1950

Editor: This photograph, Untitled (legs of injured patient in hospital) by Lucian and Mary Brown, shows us a close-up of a patient’s legs and hospital gown. The negative exposure makes the scene feel quite clinical and sterile. What story do you think this image tells? Curator: It's a powerful image, especially considering its context within the history of medical photography. How do representations of illness and the body in medical settings contribute to our understanding of power dynamics between patient and institution? Editor: That's a really interesting point. It makes you think about who gets to control the narrative in these situations. Curator: Exactly. And how the seemingly objective lens can, in fact, be deeply implicated in social and political structures. Perhaps the Browns wanted us to reflect on that. Editor: I never thought about it that way. It changes my perspective on the image completely.