Untitled (bank interior, seen from above) 1948

Robert Burian captured this black and white photograph of a bank interior. The photograph’s materiality plays a critical role in its interpretation. Photography is inherently linked to the industrial age, born out of advancements in chemistry, optics, and manufacturing, that shifted art production from handmade to mechanically reproduced images. In this photograph, the depiction of a bank interior—a space synonymous with finance and commerce— further underscores photography’s relationship to capitalism and societal progress. The bank, with its rows of tellers, is captured from above, giving the viewer a sense of detached observation. The high vantage point emphasizes the architecture of the building, underlining the power and stability of financial institutions. The use of a photographic negative intensifies the stark contrast and reinforces the photograph’s conceptual depth. Considering the image's materials and methods brings into focus the social and economic contexts that influenced not only its making but also its subject.