Poem at Sunset (No. 1) c. 1948

Editor: This is Clarence Laughlin's photograph, "Poem at Sunset (No. 1)." The way the eroded statue seems to emerge from the tombstone is haunting. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's a potent image, isn't it? Laughlin often explored surrealism, but here, the decaying monuments speak volumes about societal memory and the often-ignored histories of women. Editor: Women? Curator: Yes. Note the name on the stone. Consider how women’s stories, particularly those of ordinary women, are often effaced from public record, relegated to crumbling stones. The setting sun further emphasizes themes of loss and fading visibility. What does the ‘poem’ in the title suggest to you? Editor: Perhaps a fleeting attempt to immortalize what’s been forgotten? Curator: Precisely. It encourages us to reclaim these narratives.