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Editor: We're looking at an untitled black and white photograph by Miguel Rio Branco. The subject appears to be a derelict vehicle with shattered windows, possibly an abandoned hearse. It evokes a sense of urban decay, I wonder, what’s the story? What can you tell me about it? Curator: As a materialist, the physical degradation depicted is compelling. Consider the hearse – its intended function to transport the deceased with dignity is utterly subverted by its current state. The broken windows, the accumulated debris... they aren't just visual details. Editor: They speak of abandonment... Curator: Precisely. They speak of obsolescence. What economic and social forces lead to the disposal of this once-essential vehicle? How does the consumption and then rejection of such a specialized machine reflect broader patterns of resource allocation and social value? Editor: So, it’s less about the *feeling* of decay, and more about what produced that decay? The forces at work? Curator: Yes, look closer. The materiality of the hearse itself—the metal, the glass—what did it take to produce? What kind of labour went into constructing this vehicle? And, then, its abandonment. Editor: Right, you're talking about labor and resource extraction on one end, and waste on the other. Is Rio Branco making a statement about a throwaway society, even with an "object" like this? Curator: Precisely. By capturing the aftermath, he prompts us to question the cycles of production, consumption, and disposal that define our material world. Editor: I hadn't considered the life cycle of the *materials* themselves, seeing beyond the object's intended purpose. Curator: It changes our perspective, doesn't it?