Untitled (men playing baseball) c. 1960

Curator: This intriguing silver gelatin print, simply titled "Untitled (men playing baseball)" by John Howell, presents a striking scene. The dimensions are compact, only about 4 by 5 inches. Editor: The stark contrast gives it an ethereal, almost ghostly quality. It feels staged, but also captures a sense of everyday life. Curator: There's a tension in this image – the casual leisure activity juxtaposed with the potential labor involved in baseball, and the societal implications of who has access to that leisure. Editor: I'm interested in the darkroom processes, the way the light has been manipulated during printing; it really emphasizes the forms and gestures of the figures. Curator: It's a compelling commentary on how we construct narratives around leisure, labor, and identity. Editor: A beautiful, almost eerie example of how material manipulation shapes our perceptions of familiar scenes.