Untitled (waterfront and docks, New Orleans) c. 1935

Curator: This haunting image, held in the Harvard Art Museums, is titled "Untitled (waterfront and docks, New Orleans)" by C. Bennette Moore. Editor: Immediately, I’m struck by its ghostly quality, and the stark contrast between the dark sky and the figures below. There is a sense of frenetic energy in the air. Curator: Indeed, the image offers a glimpse into the industrial landscape and the social dynamics of New Orleans, but without a firm date it's hard to place it within a specific political moment. Editor: I see stacks that resemble cotton bales, rows of figures that could be dockworkers, and of course the smokestacks in the background. The smoke feels almost ominous, a symbolic weight of industry. Curator: The smokestacks serve as a potent reminder of the city's economic engines and the environmental cost of progress, a relevant symbol for the time and still today. Editor: Right. And Moore's composition seems to emphasize that tension, the human element dwarfed by the scale of industrialization. It's a powerful visual statement. Curator: Ultimately, this photograph prompts reflection on the intricate relationship between industry, labor, and the evolving urban landscape.