Untitled (dresses on racks) 1957

Editor: This photograph by Ken Whitmire Associates presents rows upon rows of dresses. The garments exude a sense of mid-century Americana. What underlying themes do you perceive in the display of these dresses? Curator: The repetition itself becomes a powerful symbol. Think of the cultural uniformity and expectations placed upon women. Are the dresses emblems of conformity, or do the subtle variations suggest individuality within a prescribed role? Editor: That's a fascinating point, this makes me see the photograph in a new light! Thanks! Curator: Indeed, symbols often hold multiple, sometimes contradictory, meanings.