Untitled (three young children sitting on top bunk of bed) 1961

Curator: This untitled image by Martin Schweig, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection, portrays three children on a bunk bed. It's a photographic negative, about 10 by 12 centimeters. Editor: It's instantly unnerving. The stark reversal of light throws the innocence of childhood into shadow, almost gothic. Curator: The bunk bed as a shared space holds significant weight. It's a site of intimacy, secrets, and perhaps, unequal power dynamics among siblings. Editor: Look at the bedclothes! The way they’re crammed underneath speaks to a world of unmade beds and utilitarian domesticity. It's about the labor of care. Curator: Absolutely. The averted gazes of two of the children amplify a sense of unease, disrupting any sentimental reading of childhood. The window is a barred exit. Editor: I'm struck by the process here. A negative emphasizes the mechanical reproduction, a distanced act. What was Schweig trying to capture through this medium and these subjects? Curator: The photograph acts as a mirror reflecting darker aspects of childhood experience, and the social narratives attached to that stage of life. Editor: Yes, and by engaging with the materiality we also get to touch on the economics of living and its effects on childhood.