Cincinnati, Oh. 1994

Editor: This is "Cincinnati, Oh." by Rodger Kingston, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. It's a photograph dominated by signage related to shoes and cashing checks. What strikes me is how the photograph emphasizes the commercial aspect of urban life through its dense layering of text and form. What do you see here? Curator: Well, I notice the layering of signs - "Checks Cashed," "Shoes," "Paychecks We Cash Pay." Each sign is a marker of a specific economic exchange. The photograph, as a commodity itself, captures a scene saturated with the mechanics of capitalism. Consider how the materials of these signs—paint, metal, light bulbs—are assembled and deployed to attract consumers and facilitate financial transactions. Editor: That's a fascinating perspective. I hadn't considered the materiality of the signs themselves as being so integral to the work's meaning. Curator: Indeed. It prompts us to think about the production and consumption inherent not just in the scene depicted, but in the creation and reception of the artwork itself.