Untitled (rephotograph of picture of children seated by hearth with stockings hung for Santa Claus) c. 1940

This black and white photograph by Paul Gittings captures a rephotographed image of children sitting by a hearth with stockings, made using photographic film. The artist's engagement with film as a medium is central to understanding this work. The monochromatic palette accentuates the textures within the original photograph and its rephotographed form, from the soft stockings hanging above the children to the delicate detail of their features. The act of rephotography raises questions about the creation and consumption of images. What began as a family portrait meant for personal consumption evolves into a commentary on cultural traditions around labor, class, and consumption during the holiday season. We consider how the simple act of hanging stockings alludes to the expectation and accumulation of material goods. Through the lens of the camera, Gittings compels us to reflect on the layers of meaning embedded in an image we see, urging us to question what is captured and what remains unseen. The focus is shifted from the sentimental value of the holiday season towards the complex social and economic structures that underpin it.