Untitled (woman seated for portrait on bench in studio) c. 1955

Editor: This is an untitled photographic negative by John Deusing, portraying a woman in what seems to be a studio setting. The inverted tones give it an ethereal feel. What social dynamics might this portrait capture? Curator: Consider how studio portraits, historically, were often acts of self-fashioning, particularly for women. What narratives are being constructed here through pose, dress, and the performative aspect of sitting for a portrait? The negative form itself suggests a hidden or alternative reading of representation. Editor: So, beyond just capturing likeness, it's about understanding how the subject is actively participating in creating an image of herself within the societal expectations of the time. Curator: Precisely. And how the photographer, Deusing, is either reinforcing or subverting those expectations through the choices he makes in the studio. Editor: I see. It really opens up the image to think about it as an active negotiation of identity. Curator: Absolutely, by thinking about the image in this way, we can begin to understand the dialogue between subject, photographer, and the social context that shapes them.