Untitled (studio portrait of six young boys arranged from tallest to shortest) 1961

Curator: This is an untitled studio portrait by Martin Schweig of six young boys arranged from tallest to shortest. Editor: Oh, it's like a little staircase of sweet faces! But in reverse… a photographic negative. Curator: Exactly, and the materiality of this photograph is interesting. Notice the negative's edges, with the Kodak markings visible—it reminds us of its manufactured nature. Editor: It feels like a tender social study, a commentary on childhood and societal expectations of order and conformity. The negative look lends an eerie cast on the portrait. Curator: Indeed. It also encourages us to consider the labor involved in photography, from image capture to development. Editor: You're right, all that behind-the-scenes toil… I almost missed the beauty in the seemingly simple. A touching, but also slightly unsettling piece overall. Curator: Yes, seeing the process helps us appreciate the final image more.