At-pe-tu-to ka-tsha, The Other Day. A Wa-pe-ton Sioux [Lakota] Warrior. c. 1858 - 1870

Editor: Here we have "At-pe-tu-to ka-tsha, The Other Day. A Wa-pe-ton Sioux [Lakota] Warrior," a photograph by McClees Gallery. It's a fascinating portrait, but there's a sense of imposed formality that strikes me. What’s your take on it? Curator: It's crucial to consider the socio-political context. These photographs were often commissioned or produced by institutions seeking to document, and perhaps control, Native American populations. Editor: Control? Curator: Think about it: who had the power in this encounter? The photographer or the photographed? How might that power dynamic influence what is captured in this image and how it was later used? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't fully considered. It really changes how I see the photograph. Curator: Exactly. We must remember the politics of imagery when viewing historical photographs like this. Editor: Thanks, I am now viewing the image with a new set of eyes.