Christmas Eve, Guilford, Connecticut 1990

Editor: James Welling's gelatin-silver print, "Christmas Eve, Guilford, Connecticut," created in 1990, presents a compelling scene. The monochrome tones give it an unsettling, almost ghostly quality. What do you make of this choice to depict such an everyday scene with such an eerie filter? Curator: Welling's choice of black and white is interesting, isn’t it? It invites us to consider the image beyond its immediate representation of place and time. Think about how the image circulates—the institutional forces at play. Consider how galleries or publications amplify or alter our perceptions. The “eerie” feeling you perceive; is that inherent, or something produced by its status as a displayed artwork? Editor: So, are you suggesting the location and setting impacts how this picture comes across rather than Welling's goal in taking the shot? Curator: Not necessarily "rather than," but alongside. Ask yourself: how does the very act of presenting this particular, perhaps banal, moment contribute to a narrative? How does the socio-economic climate of 1990, nearing the end of the Cold War, impact how a quiet scene like this resonates with its viewers, then and now? Editor: I see. It's like Welling isn’t just showing a scene but also making a commentary by choosing to show it this way, almost staging reality in his photos. It’s eerie but also really thought-provoking when considering it as an artificial setting. Curator: Exactly! He prompts us to unpack the social scripts and structures framing our world. Even, or perhaps especially, during quiet moments like those on “Christmas Eve.” The photograph serves almost as a blank canvas where broader socio-cultural anxieties can be projected. Editor: Wow, I never would have thought about how it was almost a 'staged reality'. That has really changed my perspective on the piece.