Untitled (Marin, Calif) 1979

Curator: This is an untitled photograph by Bill Dane, who was born in 1938, and it’s part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. It captures a scene in Marin, California. Editor: My first thought is… intriguing. There's an undeniable sense of theatre here, the skeleton t-shirt, the motorcycles, the trinkets for sale. It speaks to a kind of counter-cultural performance of self. Curator: Dane was very interested in everyday life and he made extensive use of postcard distribution for his work, reflecting on the democratization of art and access to imagery. Editor: Absolutely, and that comes through. The casualness mixed with these very deliberate visual cues creates a powerful statement on individual expression within this very specific social landscape. Is the skeleton tee worn for fun or commentary? Curator: It also points to the artist’s engagement with vernacular photography and his interest in disrupting the established gallery system. Editor: The image really holds a mirror up to our own assumptions about identity and belonging. There is something intrinsically human and raw in this depiction.