Untitled (portrait of man wearing coat and bowtie) c. 1950

Editor: This is an untitled photographic negative by Lucian and Mary Brown, a portrait of a man in a coat and bowtie. It feels both formal and oddly ghostly. What stands out to you in this image? Curator: The reversed tonality forces us to consider representation and visibility. Who was this man, and what narratives were suppressed or amplified by the camera’s lens? The bowtie hints at respectability, yet the negative form resists easy categorization. Editor: So, it’s about questioning power dynamics? Curator: Precisely. Photography has historically been used to construct and reinforce social hierarchies. By unsettling our expectations, this image prompts us to consider the politics of portraiture. What stories remain untold in traditional portraiture? Editor: I see it differently now, it's more than just a portrait. Thanks. Curator: Indeed, art is about seeing, and then re-seeing!