Untitled (man speaking at outdoor public podium draped in U.S. flags) c. 1950

Editor: This Harry Annas photograph, titled "Untitled," depicts a man speaking at an outdoor podium draped in U.S. flags. It feels incredibly patriotic, almost staged. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The flags, of course, scream nationalism, but note the speaker's elevated position. The podium itself becomes a symbol, echoing power and authority, wouldn't you agree? Editor: I hadn’t thought of the podium itself as symbolic. Curator: Consider how the image is constructed. The speaker is framed by the flag; what cultural narratives and memories are being evoked and perhaps manipulated? Visual rhetoric can be a powerful tool. Editor: That’s true. I now see how potent the symbolism is. Curator: Indeed. The flags carry an emotional weight, stirring feelings of belonging and perhaps even exclusion, depending on who is viewing it. A photograph capturing so much!