Untitled (double studio portrait of young girl posed sitting with baby sister) 1937

Editor: This is an untitled double studio portrait of a young girl with her baby sister, by Martin Schweig. The stark negative image gives it such an eerie feel. What social narratives do you see at play here? Curator: Well, the photograph seems to be an intimate portrayal of sisterhood, but the use of a negative could signify hidden aspects of female identity, the expectations placed on young girls, and how they mirror or diverge from each other's paths. It makes us ask what futures are available to them. Editor: That’s a perspective I hadn't considered. I was mainly focused on the technical aspects. Curator: The technical choice is not separate from the social ones! In fact, it amplifies them, turning a simple portrait into a space for critical engagement with identity and representation. Editor: I'm starting to see the image in a whole new light. Curator: Exactly! It encourages us to question the very nature of portraiture.