New Mexico c. 1939

Curator: Louise Dahl-Wolfe’s "New Mexico," taken around 1939, is a fascinating study in the burgeoning genre of lifestyle photography, especially as it intertwines with high fashion. Editor: The shadows here are spectacular! Like characters joining the scene... there's this kind of relaxed but intensely stylish vibe that really sings to me. It’s effortlessly cool, and also sort of eerie with those big blank sunglasses staring right through you. Curator: The image shows us two models, both sitting under beach umbrellas; note the composition, and how the patterns and materials serve as a document of the aesthetic sensibilities of the time, particularly in swimwear design. What's your read on how it might engage with consumption habits? Editor: Well, that’s where my brain sparks to the oddball perfection! See how even relaxed, these are women aware of their look, aware of how light and shadow create almost graphic lines on their bodies and clothes? It hints at aspirations – a dream you can purchase. That swimsuit? That whole lifestyle is what’s being sold. It whispers "buy me", or at least "be me." Curator: Agreed. And looking at Dahl-Wolfe's wider body of work, we observe her conscious elevation of these everyday items. By displaying them within a high-art medium, she elevates commercial photography into a genre worthy of contemplation. How does this change your perspective as the viewer? Editor: Absolutely. The clever construction pulls you into the dream she's building...I was thinking earlier how stark the lack of facial expression could feel alienating but really, the artifice is the point. Curator: Precisely. It reminds us that even perceived leisure has a labor component embedded, visible within these expertly composed visuals. Editor: Yeah, labor on both sides – models working, photographers directing light. It really highlights the contrast between the imagined luxury and the real sweat behind the scene! This moment almost 100 years old still packs a punch. Curator: It's photography as a form of manufacturing desire, beautifully packaged. Editor: Indeed. Seeing beneath the surface reveals so much more about those sun-soaked daydreams, doesn't it?