Plate Number 67. Running 1887

Editor: This is "Plate Number 67. Running," a gelatin silver print made in 1887 by Eadweard Muybridge. What strikes me is how much it resembles an early film strip; the runner's motion seems almost animated. What do you see in this work? Curator: Beyond its visual appeal, I see this as a crucial document in the history of visual representation, power, and the body. Muybridge's work, while seemingly scientific, operates within a specific cultural framework of late 19th-century ideologies around race, gender, and the male body. Consider, for example, who gets to be represented in these 'scientific' studies and the assumptions underlying the objective gaze. What does it mean to isolate and dissect movement in this way? Editor: That's a point I hadn't considered. It seemed so purely about scientific exploration of movement, but you're right; the choice of the subject matters. Does the nudity play into this too? Curator: Absolutely. The male nude has a long history in Western art, often associated with ideals of beauty, strength, and heroism, but here, it’s presented in a supposedly objective, scientific context. However, the act of observation is never neutral. How might our understanding change if the subject was a woman, or a person of color? It compels us to unpack the implicit power dynamics embedded in seemingly objective representations. Editor: It's amazing how a seemingly straightforward image opens up these larger discussions about representation and power. Curator: Precisely! This work invites us to question the supposed objectivity of the scientific gaze and the cultural forces that shape our perceptions of the human body. We must always critically analyze the intersection of art, science, and the social structures within which they operate. Editor: I’ll definitely look at Muybridge’s work—and photography in general—in a different light now. Thank you!