Untitled (boys performing puppet show for girl) c. 1950

Editor: This gelatin silver print by Lucian and Mary Brown shows two boys putting on a puppet show for a little girl. The image is ghostly and sweet. What catches your eye? Curator: The inverted tonality gives the scene an ethereal quality, reminiscent of dreamscapes. The puppet show itself is a powerful symbol. It’s a miniature world, a stage for exploring narratives. Do you see the Alice in Wonderland imagery? Editor: I do! It's on the side of the puppet stage. Why Alice? Curator: Alice resonates deeply. It's a journey of transformation, a plunge into the subconscious. The children, in recreating it, are engaging with archetypes of childhood and storytelling. It mirrors how we interpret our roles in life. Editor: That's fascinating. It makes me think about how stories shape us. Curator: Exactly! This photograph is a beautiful encapsulation of how we internalize and reenact the stories that define our culture.