friday night Possibly 2001 - 2019

Curator: Here we have Dylan Vitone’s “friday night,” a black and white photograph held at the Harvard Art Museums, measuring about 11 by 14 inches. Editor: The texture of the whole image jumps out. The fence, the rough clothes, even the grass in the background feels so tangible in this grayscale. Curator: It feels documentary, raw. Vitone captures these girls in a space that suggests neglect, yet they appear self-possessed. This resonates with debates around adolescent agency in public spaces. Editor: Yes, the material conditions shape their presentation. The overalls, the hoodies—they’re constructing identities with available materials, resisting any easy categorization. Curator: Do you think Vitone is critiquing the cultural gaze? The composition positions the girls as subjects, but their expressions resist objectification. Editor: Perhaps. It’s more about the lived experience, the making-do, than any singular critique. Curator: Food for thought. It certainly highlights how much context informs our reading. Editor: Definitely. It really makes you question the means by which identity is constructed.