Untitled (people at anniversary party) c. 1960

Editor: This photograph by John Howell, simply titled "Untitled (people at anniversary party)," shows a group of people. The texture is interesting, almost like a photogram. What strikes you about it? Curator: I'm drawn to the materiality. This looks like a negative, a step in the photographic process usually hidden from the viewer. Showing it elevates the production, making the means visible. What does that say about its intended audience? Editor: That’s interesting. Maybe the focus is less on the event and more on the act of documentation itself? Curator: Precisely. It encourages us to consider the labor, the materials, and the choices involved in creating this image, and how those choices shape our understanding. Editor: I never considered that the process could be the point. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It changes everything, doesn't it?