103 Days Old Possibly 1989 - 1998

Curator: Good morning. We’re here today to consider a photograph by Debora Hunter titled "103 Days Old", possibly taken between 1989 and 1998. Editor: Well, my immediate impression is one of staged isolation. The baby, centered on the ornate settee, seems so deliberately placed. It evokes a feeling of both vulnerability and artifice. Curator: Precisely. Let's examine the composition. The symmetry is undeniable, from the flanking drapes to the placement of the settee, creating a visual language of control and formality. The heavy drapes and ornate rug seem almost to weigh down the frame, yes? Editor: Absolutely. It's interesting to think about this image as a portrait, given its historical context. The period arguably marked the popularisation of a curated aesthetic within personal spaces, blurring public and private domains. There’s something almost uncomfortable in viewing childhood within such a constructed domesticity. Curator: I see your point. Semiotically, each object is freighted with meaning, right? The plush rug can connote wealth, the dark blue wall evokes coolness. Yet the floral pattern in the sofa almost disrupts it and creates visual dissonance. Editor: And I wonder about the implications of photographing an infant in this meticulously crafted scene. Is it about marking time or commodifying the experience of childhood? Curator: We could interpret it as commentary on the performative aspects of family life, framed through a material lens. Think of Erving Goffman and the presentation of self, a sociological idea made palpable through photography. It reveals an impulse towards control through structure. Editor: Perhaps. Or is it as simple as a celebration of new life juxtaposed with old money, creating an interesting dialogue across generations and material choices? Is there, perhaps, beauty in seeing these disparate elements intersect so cleanly? Curator: Both, I suspect. And like the space that we are viewing here, it is this push and pull between readings that continues to make this work such a stimulating picture to think about and unpack. Editor: Indeed, it seems we have more questions than answers, which speaks to the potency of Hunter’s seemingly simple composition. Curator: Well put. Thank you for that refreshing perspective.