Untitled (girl in small chair) c. 1950

Editor: Here we have "Untitled (girl in small chair)" by Lucian and Mary Brown, a black and white photograph. There's something haunting about this little girl’s portrait. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: It's fascinating how the photographic process itself becomes visible here. This is clearly a negative. Consider the darkroom labor involved, the specific chemicals used. Was this approach an aesthetic choice, highlighting the means of production? Editor: That's a great point! It shifts my perspective completely. Curator: Exactly! Seeing it this way, we move beyond the image of the girl to consider the active role of the artists in manipulating materials to make meaning. Editor: Thanks, I'll definitely think about the materiality of photography more now.