Wall and Unmade Bed, Washington, D.C. 1972

Editor: This is "Wall and Unmade Bed, Washington, D.C." a C-print photograph by Nancy Rexroth, taken in 1972. It’s... hazy, almost dreamlike, but also unsettling with its claustrophobic perspective. What catches your eye when you look at it? Curator: Immediately, I’m drawn to the liminal space – that sense of transition between the domestic, represented by the bed, and something more undefined, suggested by the wall. It’s blurred, yes, almost as if obscuring something…Do you see that horizon line, just barely there? What do you make of that? Editor: It makes me wonder what’s outside, or beyond. Like the bed is a safe space, and the world is out there. Curator: Precisely. The unmade bed carries potent psychological weight. Traditionally, the bed symbolizes rest, intimacy, but here it suggests vulnerability, perhaps even a disruption. It is a very common archetype in post-war art: think Tracey Emin's "My Bed", or Felix Gonzalez-Torres piles of candy or photographs. Those all ask us questions about loss and sexuality by subverting our ideas of what “domestic bliss” can be. Does the muted palette contribute, do you think? Editor: Definitely, it's not a cheerful picture. It feels faded and distant, almost like a memory. The colors remind me of old photographs or faded textiles. Curator: You are absolutely right! It speaks of lost memories or secrets that time and memory have distorted. And what about the decision to use C-print as a printing process? Editor: Good point! C-prints don't necessarily give an impression of timelessness! This actually feels quite modern. Curator: Rexroth is masterfully playing on themes related to mortality and intimacy through the universal symbol of "home." Do you see this too? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way initially, but that totally makes sense. I see how she has taken that symbol, home, and made it uncanny. I find this very compelling, thanks! Curator: It is indeed a powerful comment about how our inner and outer worlds intertwine and change with time. Thank you for making such astute observations!