Untitled (children in costume in parade) c. 1950

Curator: Here we have an untitled photograph by Lucian and Mary Brown, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection, depicting children in costume, likely in a parade. Editor: It has a dreamlike quality—almost eerie—with the stark contrasts and the ghostly figures. What kind of parade is this? Curator: It appears to be a local event, perhaps a Fourth of July parade, judging from the homemade floats. The materiality is fascinating; we see the labor involved in constructing these costumes from cardboard and other everyday items. Editor: The children's costumes are intriguing; the fire department signage speaks of civic duty, and the clown, in contrast, represents chaos, or at least a break from order. They are almost archetypes. Curator: Exactly, this reveals how even seemingly simple parades become spaces where community identity is constructed and performed through material means. Editor: It’s amazing how much cultural meaning is captured in this small, four-by-three-inch image. Curator: Yes, it's a testament to the Browns' ability to capture the essence of community through the lens of material culture. Editor: A lasting echo of childhood rituals.