Concert on the West Pier, Brighton c. 1916 - 1918

Curator: Douglas Fox Pitt's "Concert on the West Pier, Brighton" captures a moment in time with what appears to be a watercolor. It's quaint. Editor: Quaint, perhaps, but also incredibly evocative. I immediately think about who is included in the audience and who is not. Curator: The West Pier was a central location in Brighton, a hub for leisure and entertainment. Piers in general were very much a cultural phenomenon in seaside towns. Editor: Exactly, and so we have to consider access. Who had the privilege to attend these concerts? Whose labor built and maintained the pier? Curator: Good points. Fox Pitt's work serves as a window into Edwardian society, reflecting both its pleasures and its stratified nature. Editor: It reminds us that even leisure spaces are sites of social and economic disparity, even if it's not always apparent at first glance. Curator: It’s a reminder that these images, while seemingly simple, can open complex dialogues about our past. Editor: And hopefully, inform our present. It’s about recognizing whose stories are told and whose are left out.