Home 1993

Editor: Here we have James Casebere’s photograph, simply titled "Home". There's an almost unsettling calmness about it, with the stark contrast and the model-like quality of the house. What's your interpretation? Curator: The method of production is key here. Casebere constructs models, photographs them, then destroys them. The photograph is all that remains. Think about that in relation to the concept of “home”—is it permanent or a temporary construction? The high contrast and the use of photography suggests a relationship with commercial printing and low cost image dissemination. Editor: That's interesting; it's like he's commenting on the commodification of the ideal home. Curator: Precisely. The material process speaks volumes about how we understand and consume these images of domesticity. Editor: I never considered the destruction of the model as part of the piece's meaning. It really reframes the work.