Untitled (car in front of house) c. 1940

Editor: Here we have John Deusing's photograph, "Untitled (car in front of house)." It's an 8x10 inch image. There's such a strong sense of everyday life, of the mundane, captured here. What do you see in this piece, especially given its medium? Curator: The photograph, as a mass-producible object, democratized image-making. Here, Deusing highlights the car - a product of industrial labor and material extraction - parked casually before a modest home. It speaks to the material realities underpinning the American Dream. Editor: So, it's about the production and consumption aspects of the car itself? Curator: Precisely. Think about the labor involved, the raw materials, and the infrastructure required to produce and maintain that car, versus the home. Editor: That's a different way of seeing it. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It's all about the means of production.