Untitled [Ref. #68] 2007

Curator: Looking at this close-up by Myra Greene, “Untitled [Ref. #68]” from 2007, immediately evokes a powerful and visceral response. Greene created this image using the gelatin silver print process. Editor: Yes, the composition is startling. It’s intensely intimate, focusing on the mouth and nose—almost to the point of discomfort. The high contrast gives it this raw, almost confrontational quality. Curator: It's interesting you use the word "confrontational." In the context of portraiture throughout art history, the lack of clear context shifts power dynamics. What narratives might this upended relationship produce? Editor: It's playing with visibility and invisibility. You have these fragmented facial features against an expanse of black, making you think about how certain representations of Black bodies have historically been both hyper-visible and erased, if that makes sense? Curator: Absolutely. And historically, the photographic medium played a key role in reinforcing and challenging cultural perspectives of racialized bodies. Greene's choice of gelatin silver print is not accidental. The choice reflects the photographic past and provides access to older cultural stereotypes. The stark contrast also minimizes any subtle variations of the skin. What considerations might Greene be making as she makes those decisions? Editor: Perhaps playing on those stereotypical images of blackface, minstrelsy, you name it. It inverts and reclaims those distorted portrayals. The abstraction invites us to confront the history of these depictions while challenging the consumption of Black identity as a spectacle. It disrupts this. It complicates what we expect. Curator: Do you think the disruption makes the artwork politically charged or an abstract expression? Editor: Definitely both, right? Art doesn't need to pick one. I am attracted to what can be discovered where representation and historical context connect. Ultimately, “Untitled [Ref. #68]” stays with you because it forces a double-take. You can’t just passively view it. Curator: Exactly. Myra Greene makes sure of that, encouraging awareness and discussion about our complex visual legacy.