Untitled (baby with toys in front of Christmas tree) c. 1950

Editor: Here we have a small photograph, "Untitled (baby with toys in front of Christmas tree)" by Lucian and Mary Brown. It looks like it might be a snapshot from someone's family album. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It’s interesting to consider the social context of this photograph. The choice of Kodak film, the ASA markings visible on the side, speaks to the democratization of image-making. What does the labor involved in setting up the shot suggest about middle-class aspirations at the time? Editor: So, you're focusing on the production of the image itself, more than the content? Curator: Exactly! The means of production—the camera, the film, the development process—are just as significant as the image captured. It's about understanding the materiality of memory. Editor: I never considered the film itself as part of the artwork! Thanks for the insight! Curator: Indeed. It makes you consider the layers of value attributed to the process.