Untitled (children on rocking horse) c. 1950

Editor: This is an untitled photograph by John Howell of children on a rocking horse. It's quite a striking image, almost dreamlike. What strikes you most about it? Curator: The staging is carefully constructed to project a certain type of ideal family Christmas; consider the mantelpiece ornaments, stockings, and even the inclusion of the rocking horse itself. This points to the performative nature of holiday traditions, and who exactly gets to perform it. Editor: Performative? Curator: Yes. How does the image itself contribute to either reinforcing or subverting societal expectations around family and celebration? Editor: I hadn't considered the social commentary. It's interesting how a seemingly simple image can reveal so much about cultural ideals. Curator: Precisely. And that's the power of art, isn’t it?