Untitled (little boy and dog) c. 1950

Editor: This photograph, Untitled (little boy and dog) by Lucian and Mary Brown, presents an inverted image, almost like a film negative. What strikes me is the apparent contrast between the opulence of the background wallpaper and what I perceive as a more modest presentation of the boy and his dog. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: The inverted tonality reveals the photographic process itself, and highlights the labor involved in producing an image. The choice to present it this way also disrupts traditional consumption of the image. What does this say about value and the means of image production? Editor: That’s a great point. So, it’s about making us think about the photograph as a manufactured object? Curator: Exactly. It challenges the idea of a photograph as merely a window onto reality, and instead foregrounds the choices made in its creation and dissemination. Editor: I hadn't considered the process itself as part of the artistic statement. Thanks for sharing your perspective!