Untitled (portrait of man wearing coat and bowtie) c. 1950

Curator: This is an untitled portrait of a man wearing a coat and bowtie, created by Lucian and Mary Brown. It's a photographic negative, quite small. Editor: The inverted tones give it an otherworldly feel. There’s a starkness, almost an interrogation, in this reversal of light and shadow. Curator: Consider this within the context of portraiture, especially its function for marginalized communities. Photographic portraits provided a means for self-representation and agency. Editor: The bowtie stands out, a symbol of bourgeois respectability, perhaps adopted or imposed. It speaks of codes and conventions. Curator: Precisely. This image invites us to question who is represented, and on whose terms. What power dynamics are at play in this depiction? Editor: The man’s gaze, though inverted, seems direct, engaging us. A silent challenge to assumptions. It makes one wonder about the sitter's story. Curator: Indeed. It's a reminder that every image carries the weight of social and historical context. Editor: And that even negatives hold the potential for powerful visual narratives.