Untitled (Junior League group of man and four women performing kickline in large room with wooden floor) 1940 - 1960

Curator: This photographic print by Martin Schweig, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums, captures a Junior League group in mid-kickline. Editor: It’s striking, almost ghostly. The inverted tones give a real theatrical flair to what might have been a mundane social event. Curator: Absolutely. We can read this image as a carefully constructed performance for the camera, reflecting the social roles and expectations of women in organizations like the Junior League. Editor: Or maybe they were just having fun! Look at the joy in their faces, the confidence in those kicks. It feels like a celebration of female camaraderie and spirit. Curator: Yes, and I think it also speaks to a specific era, highlighting the performative aspects of social engagement and gender roles in mid-century America. Editor: For me, it's that sense of unexpected energy frozen in time that really makes it sing. Curator: A slice of social history with a lot of potential readings. Editor: Yes, exactly. It’s a fun glimpse into a past brimming with personality.