Untitled (group portrait of large male baseball team sitting on outdoor bleachers) 1955 - 1960

Curator: This is a photograph, simply titled "Untitled (group portrait of large male baseball team sitting on outdoor bleachers)" by Martin Schweig, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: My first impression is a sense of camaraderie, despite the inverted tones making it feel somewhat spectral. Curator: The photographic process itself is interesting here. It’s an inverted negative, highlighting the material properties of film and its development. What’s lost and gained through this means of production? Editor: Absolutely. The reversal emphasizes the absence of color, directing our attention to issues of representation, particularly given the likely homogeneity of the team in that era. What stories remain untold? Curator: It makes me consider the labor and resources involved in creating this image. The chemicals, the film, the printing, and the societal value placed on documenting this specific group. Editor: I agree. And it forces us to confront the power dynamics inherent in documenting a team portrait, framing masculine identity within a specific historical and social context. Curator: It's a powerful reminder of the multiple layers of production at play. Editor: Indeed, it complicates a seemingly simple portrait.