Defectives, Epileptics: United States. Massachusetts. Palmer. State Hospital for Epileptics: Farm Cottage. 1901

Editor: This photograph, "Defectives, Epileptics: United States. Massachusetts. Palmer. State Hospital for Epileptics: Farm Cottage," by Woodhead Studio, shows a group of people in front of a building. It feels staged, but also strangely intimate. What strikes you about it? Curator: The power dynamics at play here are quite visible. The image presents a "farm cottage," but also a state institution, raising questions about the care, or lack thereof, afforded to those deemed "defective." Note how the composition subtly reinforces a hierarchy. Editor: Hierarchy? How so? Curator: Consider the positioning. The figures are arranged on the steps, implying a social ladder, with some standing while others sit. It prompts us to question the intent behind displaying this image. Who was the intended audience, and what message were they meant to receive? Editor: I see what you mean. It makes you think about the ethics of representation. Curator: Exactly. And the complexities of visual narratives surrounding disability and institutionalization.