Stereofoto van het vliegtuig van Henri Farman tijdens een vlucht c. 1910

Editor: This is a stereo photograph, circa 1910, of Henri Farman’s airplane in flight. The photographic print captures a moment of early aviation against a sparse landscape. What draws my attention is the layering of space; the crowd is cropped at the bottom with this vast open sky above them with the plane almost floating there. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Intriguing. Let's begin with the form itself. The stereoscopic composition presents us with two nearly identical images side by side. Consider the effect on the viewer: is it meant to immerse us in the spectacle of flight, or is it an analytical tool for studying depth perception and the mechanics of representation? How does the rigid geometry of the biplane juxtapose with the softness of the landscape and the billowing plumes that seems to rise? Editor: That's a really interesting question about immersion versus analysis. I hadn’t considered the stereoscopic form as something that could distance you, rather than draw you in. So you are suggesting the repetition and comparative elements ask to deconstruct our experience, right? Curator: Precisely. The photographic technology itself is on display here. Note the careful tonal gradations achieved in the print. It is less about conveying a realistic representation and more about exploring the possibilities inherent in the photographic medium itself and more about presenting its technology and mechanical beingness.. Do you notice anything about the placement of the aircraft within the frame? Editor: It is off-centre and somewhat small. Almost overwhelmed by the sky…perhaps it’s a comment on the limitations of early flight technology relative to the vastness of nature. Curator: Or perhaps the photograph highlights the structure inherent in early aviation technology while contrasting it with the boundless possibility represented by the sky. This contrast creates a dynamic tension and a formal study between what's there and what’s hoped to be there. What an innovation, technically. Thank you for showing me that today. Editor: Thanks for the fresh formal perspectives!