Untitled (smiling baby on lawn chair) c. 1950

Editor: This is an untitled photograph by Lucian and Mary Brown, showing a smiling baby in a lawn chair. It's quite small. What's interesting to you about its placement in the Harvard Art Museums? Curator: Well, its presence prompts us to consider the museum's role in preserving not just canonical artworks, but also everyday imagery. How does exhibiting personal photographs shape our understanding of photographic history and its relationship to domestic life? Editor: That's a good point. It makes you think about the politics of what gets remembered and valued. Curator: Precisely. And who gets to decide. Whose narratives are considered worthy of institutional preservation? It challenges us to confront the biases inherent in art historical narratives. Editor: I hadn’t thought about it that way before. It’s more than just a cute picture; it’s a statement. Curator: Exactly. Looking closely reveals how even seemingly simple images can reflect broader cultural values and power dynamics.