Untitled (girl fixing hair in front of mirror) c. 1950

Curator: This intriguing photo, simply called "Untitled (girl fixing hair in front of mirror)," is the work of Lucian and Mary Brown, and it's part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: My first thought? There's something unsettling about this image. The negative exposure and that doll-like mask looming over the mirror... it's a bit creepy, actually. Curator: The mirror certainly creates layers of symbolism. Mirrors often represent vanity or self-reflection, but here, the ghostly mask and inverted tones add a layer of the uncanny. What do you make of that? Editor: It feels like a child's world, but skewed. The girl is absorbed in a mundane task, but those other elements hint at something darker, maybe even a confrontation with a hidden self. Curator: Precisely. Masks, across cultures, conceal and reveal simultaneously. Is the girl hiding, or is she about to discover something about herself reflected back at her? Editor: Maybe it’s about innocence lost, or the scary side of growing up. It makes me question what we choose to show the world versus what we keep hidden. Curator: Indeed. It’s a potent image that continues to resonate, prompting reflections on identity, memory, and the subtle anxieties of childhood. Editor: Exactly. Art should make you feel, and this one definitely leaves me with a lingering sense of unease and wonder.