Untitled (woman in hillbilly costume performing on stage) 1955

Curator: This is Martin Schweig’s photo, simply titled "Untitled (woman in hillbilly costume performing on stage)." It’s a silver gelatin print, about 4x5 inches. Editor: It's striking how performative the image feels, a bit theatrical, almost as though it captures an awkward dress rehearsal in its negative format. Curator: Exactly! The woman’s gesture and costume set against that peculiar backdrop evoke a complex performance history. It brings up questions about representation and cultural stereotypes. Editor: The backdrop is just so bizarre, brick-like and stagey, crowned by this strange star... It lends this odd sense of Americana. Curator: Perhaps Schweig was interested in dissecting the performance of identity, how costume and stagecraft can both reveal and conceal. Editor: It leaves you pondering what's real versus what's constructed. That's where the power lies, I guess. Curator: It’s a fascinating little puzzle, that's for sure. Editor: A puzzle that keeps giving, long after the curtain falls.