Untitled (group portrait of girls with priest) 1959

Editor: This intriguing photographic print, “Untitled (group portrait of girls with priest)” by John Deusing, shows quite a large group. The reversal effect in this print is striking, almost ghostly. What stands out to you? Curator: The photographic process itself demands attention here. The reversal effect isn't accidental; it’s a conscious manipulation. What does this choice in production suggest about the artist's intent, given the subjects, and the religious context that the surroundings hint at? Editor: I guess it makes me wonder about the means of production; the materials used to make it, the time it took to create this photographic effect, and the statement about labor and skill. Curator: Precisely. It shifts our focus from a straightforward representation to the mechanics of image-making. The inversion challenges our perception, forcing us to confront the constructed nature of the photograph itself and how it plays with ideas of visibility and representation.