Martha Graham - letter to the world 1940

Editor: This is a gelatin-silver print from 1940, a still from Barbara Morgan’s photographic interpretation of Martha Graham’s dance, "Letter to the World." It's powerful—full of movement, but also a sense of deep sorrow, or maybe struggle. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: What I see is a complex representation of the female body in motion, staged within a visual language deeply engaged with modernist explorations of form and identity. The dance itself draws from the story of Emily Dickinson, suggesting themes of confinement and self-expression. Considering the historical context, created on the cusp of the U.S. entering WWII, what can we say about the symbolism inherent in the contorted body of the dancer, and its dramatic yet isolating composition? Editor: That’s a great point about Dickinson. So, is the isolation, visually emphasized by the stark contrast, connected to larger feelings around the war? Curator: Precisely. We have the body communicating where words fail. What does the relationship between the dancer, the garment, and the photographic medium itself tell us about female agency during this pivotal time? This work pushes beyond the traditional constraints of portraiture. Editor: It's interesting how the photograph, in a way, liberates the performance. Freezing a moment in time but also amplifying the feeling. It’s both an image of restriction and a powerful statement. Curator: Yes, and by considering the gendered experience, particularly the limits placed on women's voices and bodies, we gain insight into the intersections between dance, photography, and social commentary. Editor: I hadn't thought about it in terms of agency and resistance. Seeing the photo through that lens really enriches the whole experience. Curator: Absolutely. Approaching the artwork as a response to those dynamics makes its relevance incredibly striking.