Untitled (women on bikes in front of large house) c. 1945

Robert Burian’s small photograph shows a group of women on bicycles in front of a large house. As a photographic negative, it gives us an inverted view of the scene: dark becomes light, creating a ghostly, dreamlike quality. It reminds me that photography isn't just about capturing reality, but also about transforming it. I'm drawn to the texture of the image, the way the light plays across the surface. You can almost feel the texture of the grass and the rough surface of the building. It is this interplay between light and shadow that gives the photograph its depth and complexity. The inverted image is like a conversation with the viewer, inviting us to question what we see and how we perceive the world. Looking at this photograph, I'm reminded of the work of Clarence White, who also used photography to explore themes of beauty and transformation. Like White, Burian invites us to see the world in a new light, to find beauty in the unexpected, and to embrace the ambiguity of the photographic image.