Untitled (woman and baby looking into mirror, seated) c. 1950

Curator: This photograph, simply titled "Untitled (woman and baby looking into mirror, seated)," is credited to Lucian and Mary Brown. The mother and child are captivated by their reflections. Editor: It’s arresting—a dark, ghostly image. The high contrast emphasizes the artifice of the scene. The mirror is surrounded by what looks like a vanity, so we see a reflection within a reflection. Curator: I think it evokes a sense of intimacy, as if the Brown's were invited into a private moment. Editor: Or, more precisely, staging a private moment to be seen. Note the ornate frame and the clearly labeled cosmetics on the vanity. Who is the audience here—the child, the artists, or us? Curator: Perhaps the Browns wanted to explore the performative nature of motherhood. Or simply record the changing faces of a mother and child. Editor: Perhaps, but the material reality—the film, the darkroom, the photograph as an object—reminds us that even the most intimate moments are mediated. Curator: It makes you wonder, what stories will viewers create about our own reflections, as time passes? Editor: Indeed, what stories will be told about the means through which we tell those stories.