Cutting the Card Quickly c. 1964

Editor: So, this is Harold Edgerton’s "Cutting the Card Quickly." The image captures a bullet slicing through a playing card. It’s incredible how he froze this moment. What's your interpretation? Curator: Look closely at the materials: the playing card, the bullet, the photographic paper. Edgerton, with his invention of stroboscopic photography, turned the means of production into the subject itself. He transformed industrial technology into an artistic tool, challenging our perception of time and movement. Editor: That’s fascinating! So, it’s not just about the spectacle, but about the technology that makes the spectacle visible? Curator: Precisely. Consider the context: post-war fascination with technology. Edgerton’s work invites us to contemplate the social impact of these innovations. Editor: I see how the image becomes a commentary on the intersection of technology, culture, and perception. Thanks!