Untitled (little boy sitting on brick wall) c. 1950

Editor: Here we have Lucian and Mary Brown's untitled photograph of a boy on a brick wall. It’s quite small. The inverted tones give it an eerie feel. What stands out to you? Curator: I'm drawn to the materiality of the photographic process itself. Consider the darkroom labor, the chemical processes. How do these elements shape our perception of childhood? Editor: I hadn't thought about that. It makes the image more complex. Curator: And what about the social context? How did photographic technology democratize portraiture, and who had access to these tools? Editor: That’s fascinating! I’ll definitely consider the labor and context more. Curator: Exactly. It’s about seeing art as a product of its time and the means of its creation.