Untitled (portrait of two teenagers, dressed up) c. 1940

Editor: This is an intriguing gelatin silver print by John Deusing, simply titled "Untitled (portrait of two teenagers, dressed up)." It feels like a memory, slightly haunting, with the inverted tones. What symbols or meanings do you see embedded here? Curator: The inverted image itself is potent. Beyond the visual, think about the cultural significance of portraiture. What do portraits typically signify? Editor: Commemoration, status, identity… Curator: Exactly. And what happens when those conventional meanings are disrupted by the photographic negative? The image is both familiar and alien. What lasting psychological impact does the disruption create? Editor: I see how the piece speaks to how photography can both preserve and alter memory. Thanks! Curator: Indeed. Every photographic choice shapes how we remember and interpret.