Untitled (double studio portrait of man in military hat and uniform) 1941

Editor: This is Martin Schweig's "Untitled (double studio portrait of man in military hat and uniform)." It's striking how the negative space and stark contrast create a sense of formality and even distance. What do you see in this image? Curator: The duplication and inversion in the portrait speak to the duality inherent in symbols of power. Note how the uniform, laden with emblems, attempts to project authority, yet the photographic negative renders it ghostly, almost ethereal. What cultural memories does this image evoke for you? Editor: I immediately think of propaganda, but the inverted colors complicate that reading. Curator: Precisely. It is a double-edged sword. The symbols are there, but their power is destabilized. Editor: I see the power of inverting those symbols now. Thanks! Curator: An image can both reflect and question its cultural context. It has been a pleasure.