Da Bomb Squad. P.B.H. Mission Hill Summer Program. July 29, 1997. Jahquicia. Dinah. Lashonda. Shawna. Natividad. Chiquita. Veronica. Toyya. Kristal. 1997

Editor: This photograph, "Da Bomb Squad" by Elsa Dorfman, taken on July 29th, 1997, showcases a group of young people. The inscription at the bottom really makes it feel like a personalized snapshot. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: For me, it’s the tangible nature of the Polaroid film itself – the physical border, the handwritten text. These elements push us to consider the means of production. What labor was involved in creating this image? How does the materiality of the Polaroid influence our understanding of the subjects and their social context? Editor: That's a great point. It really highlights the contrast between this image and the digital photos we are so used to. Curator: Exactly! It's also about consumption. How do we value and consume images differently when they have this kind of tactile, almost handmade quality? It makes you think about the disposable nature of digital media versus the perceived permanence of a physical object. Editor: I never considered the Polaroid as an object of labor. It changes how I see it. Thanks!