Untitled (man sitting at desk) 1957

Editor: This untitled photograph by Peter James Studio shows a man at a desk. It's a black and white print, seemingly documenting a moment in an office. What can you tell me about this image? Curator: Well, consider the materiality. It's a photograph, a product of chemical processes, and we can examine that. What kind of labor went into the studio, the production of this image, and its intended consumption? Editor: That's interesting. So, you are saying that even a straightforward photograph has a whole network of production behind it? Curator: Precisely. The paper, the chemicals, the photographer's skill, the studio's business model, it all contributes. Thinking about those things changes the way we look at it. Editor: I never really thought about it that way before. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. Considering the means of production can reveal so much about art.