Races, Immigration: United States. New York. New York City. Immigrant Station: Regulation of Immigration at the Port of Entry. United States Immigrant Station, New York City: Bertillon measurements. c. 1903

Curator: This photograph by J.H. Adams captures a Bertillon measurement at a New York City immigrant station. It offers a chillingly clinical feel. Editor: The sepia tones lend an antique quality, yet there’s something stark about the composition. What strikes me is the palpable sense of control and process—the immigrant as a mere subject. Curator: Indeed. The officers’ attire and posture speak volumes about authority, while the Bertillon system itself was about codifying identity, seeking visual and physical markers of difference. Editor: And consider the materials present: The metal cage, the wooden desk, the very paper on which they record these measurements. These objects tell of institutionalized power and the material labor of assimilation. Curator: The image resonates with enduring symbols of immigration, of being processed, of losing oneself in the face of a system. Editor: It's a powerful reminder of how systems, built on materiality and control, impact individual lives. Curator: A sober reflection on cultural memory, indeed. Editor: It prompts us to examine the labor of immigration, both physical and emotional.