Untitled (two portraits of two children) c. 1945

Curator: This fascinating diptych, "Untitled (two portraits of two children)," is an early photographic work by John Deusing. It immediately strikes me as ghostly. Editor: Yes, the photographic process of the time, and the artist’s work with it, clearly emphasized the materiality of the medium and its relationship to light. Curator: The children's stark, almost otherworldly appearance, really speaks to how portraiture of children often reflects societal values. Editor: Absolutely. The materiality also influences this; the poses, the lighting, and even the ornate backdrop were carefully constructed with the constraints of photographic technology in mind. Labor was definitely part of the process. Curator: True. And the diptych format itself suggests a narrative, perhaps of the siblings’ relationship or diverging paths. Editor: It's the materiality and its time-bound constraints that truly reveal how carefully each element was produced and the context for photographic labor at the time. Curator: It certainly makes you consider what Deusing aimed to capture beyond just their likeness. Editor: Yes, and thinking through that material process helps us understand the social elements as well.