Charity, Public: United States. Massachusetts. Bridgewater. State Farm: State Farm c. 1900

Editor: This photographic album page titled "Charity, Public: United States. Massachusetts. Bridgewater. State Farm" by Bass Photo shows several views of what appears to be a state-run institution. The images evoke a sense of order and perhaps some isolation. What symbols do you see at play here? Curator: The State Farm itself, the large building in several images, acts as a symbol of institutional power and societal control. The rows of beds and machinery signify regimentation. Do you think this arrangement promotes charity, or something else? Editor: It’s interesting that charity and control can be so closely linked visually. I hadn’t considered how those symbols might interact. Curator: Consider how the visual language used here shapes our understanding of “charity.” It invites us to question the underlying assumptions and power structures inherent in acts of public assistance. What have you learned? Editor: I now see how the physical arrangements depicted here subtly communicate the values and power dynamics within the institution.