Aaron Siskind, Kentucky 1970

Curator: Carl Chiarenza created this arresting photograph, "Aaron Siskind, Kentucky," part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. What's your initial take? Editor: It's somber, with those almost fungal shapes looming behind the photographer. They feel primeval, yet decaying. Curator: Chiarenza's work often engages with the act of seeing itself. Siskind, here, is presented against a backdrop that resembles his own abstract expressionist photographs. Is it a commentary on influence, perhaps? Editor: Or perhaps a doubling, a mirroring of artistic vision. Siskind, known for finding abstraction in the everyday, is framed by these suggestive forms. They carry the weight of subconscious projections. Curator: I see the photograph as acknowledging the complex interplay between artist, subject, and cultural landscape. Editor: Indeed. It makes me consider how we each leave our mark, seen and unseen. Curator: A poignant thought to end on.