Shelter Island School 1979

Curator: This is Per Brandin's "Shelter Island School," a black and white photograph currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It has this liminal awkwardness to it, like a moment captured just before some significant action. The gray tonality amplifies that feeling. Curator: Indeed. Brandin captures these young athletes—likely a volleyball team based on the lettering—in what appears to be a candid moment inside their school. This casual scene speaks volumes about the role of sports in school culture. Editor: Look at the compositional elements though; the girls are arranged almost like a classical frieze. It’s a study of form and pattern despite its seeming spontaneity. It reminds me of Degas. Curator: That's an interesting take! I'm more struck by the photographic conventions at play here, this almost documentary style... Editor: Well, in the end, perhaps it's both: a record and a study.