Untitled (nine children posed sitting in front of fireplace decorated for Christmas) 1970

Editor: This photo, "Untitled (nine children posed sitting in front of fireplace decorated for Christmas)" by Martin Schweig, is an intriguing negative. It has a somewhat eerie atmosphere due to the reversal of light and dark. What do you see here? Curator: Well, that eerie feeling, I think, comes from that reversal, but also from the intense stillness. It's a staged moment, but each child seems lost in thought, disconnected. Their expressions, especially in the negative, have a haunting quality. I wonder what they were all thinking about. What a memory of Christmas. Editor: That's true, it's staged, yet feels so candid, almost unsettling. Thanks for your insight! Curator: My pleasure! It reminds us that photos are never quite objective, are they?