Untitled (old couple posed looking at each other in front of window decorated with Christmas cards) 1955

Editor: Here we have Martin Schweig’s "Untitled," a black and white photograph of an elderly couple. They stand closely, gazing at one another in what appears to be a festive, card-filled room. What strikes you most about this image? Curator: For me, it’s about the performativity of gender and aging. We see them adhering to societal expectations, dressed up, posed. But the image is inverted, a photographic negative; is it highlighting the inversions of aging and gender roles? The couple is not smiling, suggesting a deeper narrative. What do you think the Christmas cards represent in this context? Editor: Perhaps a constructed image of happiness, contrasting with a more complex reality? It’s a poignant observation, thank you. Curator: Consider how institutions perpetuate narratives. The cards, their clothing, the setting—all speak to prescribed roles. The photograph questions those very roles.