Pan American World Airlines Building, New York City 1958

Editor: This photograph, "Pan American World Airlines Building, New York City," is by an unidentified artist. The upward perspective makes me feel so small. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's a dance of geometries, isn't it? The cold, hard lines of the buildings juxtaposed against the ephemeral softness of the sky. I wonder if the photographer felt dwarfed, too? Or maybe empowered, looking up at those symbols of commerce and ambition? Editor: I hadn’t thought about the power aspect. Curator: Well, it’s a bit like staring up at a titan. Do you think the lack of human presence adds to that feeling? Editor: Definitely. Makes the buildings seem even more imposing and permanent. I’ll never look at skyscrapers the same way again!