Untitled (dining room, Columbia Prep School, young men) c. 1940

Editor: This photograph by Harris & Ewing, "Untitled (dining room, Columbia Prep School, young men)," shows a large group of men eating together. The negative is striking. What can you tell us about it? Curator: It’s fascinating to consider the production of this image, isn't it? The glass plate negative itself, the labor involved in creating it, the photographic chemicals used... all contributing to the final product. Editor: So, the materiality is essential? Curator: Absolutely. And the social context. This scene speaks to the rituals and structures of power within institutions like Columbia Prep. The dining room, the uniforms… what do they signify about consumption and class? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. Thanks! Curator: Of course! It's all about looking closely at how things are made, and what that tells us.