Untitled (exterior of North Shore Country Day School) 1947

Editor: This is an untitled photograph by John Howell, showing the exterior of North Shore Country Day School. It has a rather surreal feel to it, like a dream. What strikes you about the composition? Curator: Observe how Howell manipulates light and shadow to create a stark contrast. The inverted tones disrupt our conventional understanding of space, flattening the pictorial plane and emphasizing the formal relationships between the architectural elements and the organic forms of the trees. It is a dance of textures. Editor: So it's more about the shapes and less about the subject? Curator: Precisely. The subject is merely a vehicle to explore the abstract qualities of light, line, and form. The bare trees, echoing the sharp angles of the buildings, contribute to a complex interplay of visual elements. Editor: I see what you mean. It's like the school is a stage for this light and shadow performance. Curator: Yes, it is a testament to how a familiar scene can be rendered unfamiliar and intriguing through formal manipulation.