Untitled (baby being held up in air) c. 1950

Editor: Here we have an intriguing gelatin silver print by Lucian and Mary Brown, simply titled *Untitled (baby being held up in air)*. It feels so intimate, yet the inverted tones are unsettling. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: For me, it's about the labor inherent in photographic processes and the social dynamics of portraiture. The Kodak film markings along the top edge remind us of the industrial production involved. What does it mean to capture and freeze a moment of such tenderness, and then reproduce it? Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't considered the act of reproducing it. Curator: And notice the arm holding the child. The wristwatch situates this image within a specific era of material culture and speaks volumes about labor, leisure, and the performance of domesticity. It compels me to ask, who is holding the baby, and what is the division of labor here? Editor: Now I see so many layers within this seemingly simple photograph! Thank you!