Untitled (young men and woman at tables at ball) 1962

This undated silver gelatin print by Robert Burian captures a society ball, its revelers a study in contrasts. We see formally dressed men and women seated at tables, their posed smiles hinting at the social expectations of their class. The work suggests a world where appearances are carefully maintained, and where societal roles are well-defined. It’s hard not to consider the absence of certain faces in this image. Where are the working class? Where are people of color? The image is steeped in mid-century aspirations of social mobility and the performance of affluence. In its own way, the photo hints at an emotional landscape of aspiration, exclusion, and the sometimes-suffocating weight of social expectations.