Catacombes De Paris 1861

Curator: Félix Nadar’s “Catacombes De Paris” from 1861, captured using the gelatin-silver print method, presents a macabre yet fascinating scene. What are your initial thoughts when viewing this photograph? Editor: It’s quite stark and… repetitive. All those skulls! There's almost an unsettling beauty in the organization. What exactly are we looking at in terms of the photographer’s intent and his choice of such stark material for an artwork? Curator: The materiality speaks volumes. Nadar wasn’t just documenting the catacombs; he was engaging with the labor of death and the processes of memorialization, challenging what could be considered “high art”. Think about the bones themselves - remnants of past labor and life, arranged in a purposeful, almost architectural manner. Editor: Architectural? That's interesting! The way they’re stacked is quite deliberate, not random at all. So, is he commenting on how society deals with death and its material remnants? Curator: Precisely. The photograph compels us to consider the commodification of even our mortal remains and how it gets displayed, consumed by viewers. Does it shift your perspective when considering that Nadar utilized newly developed technology to shine a light, literally and figuratively, on this underground display, making it visible to a wider audience? Editor: Definitely. The photographic process, then, is a crucial part of understanding its impact. Without that technology, the catacombs would remain unseen by most. It raises the question of who gets to see and consume these images. Curator: Exactly! The production and consumption of this image implicate us all. By forcing these questions around visibility, access and what can be made "art", this photography becomes deeply profound. Editor: I hadn't considered it from that perspective – thinking about labor, commodification and access. Thanks for shining a light on that! Curator: My pleasure. Looking through the lens of materiality definitely transforms our understanding of such photography and its purposes.