Untitled (debutante with escort) c. 1950

Editor: This is an undated photograph by John Howell, titled "Untitled (debutante with escort)." It has such a staged, almost dreamlike quality. What strikes you about this image? Curator: It’s a portrait that subtly reveals the performance of social class. The debutante and her escort are positioned on a staircase, a space of transition, perhaps symbolizing their movement into a certain societal sphere. Howell is staging questions, don’t you think, about the rituals of privilege and the gaze itself? Editor: Definitely. The formality feels almost…oppressive? Curator: Precisely! Howell’s work challenges us to examine the historical narratives embedded in these kinds of images. The visual codes of wealth, and who gets to participate, are all wrapped up in this single image. Editor: I hadn't thought about it like that before. It's more than just a pretty picture; it's asking us to think critically about what it represents. Curator: Exactly, and that’s where the power lies.