Optician 1937

Editor: Here we have György Kepes's "Optician" from 1937, a striking black and white photograph. There's something surreal about it, almost unsettling. Those disembodied eyes staring out… what do you make of it? Curator: Unsettling is a great word. It's a little creepy, isn't it? Kepes was fascinated by how we perceive the world, the act of seeing itself. To me, this isn’t just about selling spectacles. Those oversized, rather eerie eyes are almost like a societal gaze, watching, judging, maybe even a little voyeuristic. Editor: So it's not simply a still life, it's got something to say? Curator: Oh, absolutely. Think about the 1930s - surveillance, propaganda, the rise of totalitarianism. This photograph whispers about power, control, and the illusion of seeing clearly. The strong contrast reminds me a bit of the film noir aesthetic that was developing at the time, all shadows and hidden truths. Editor: I can see that. There’s definitely a dark undercurrent. Curator: The other element that draws me in is that even the idea of an ‘optician’ becomes problematic. Are they simply offering clear sight, or shaping our vision in some way? Kepes poses the question in a memorable fashion, wouldn't you agree? Editor: That’s a clever interpretation! I hadn't considered that it was questioning our view of the world. Curator: The beauty of art, isn’t it? Always new ways of seeing. Editor: Exactly, like putting on a new pair of glasses… maybe from *this* optician? I think I need to go rethink my entire thesis now. Thanks!