Untitled (Clark's Super Gas station) c. 1940

Editor: This photographic print, titled "Untitled (Clark's Super Gas station)" by John Deusing, captures a roadside scene. The high contrast creates an almost dreamlike effect. What symbols jump out at you in this image? Curator: The gas station itself is a powerful icon. It speaks to mobility, freedom, but also dependence. Note the prominent sign: "One Grade One Price." What does that promise of uniformity suggest about the culture of the time? Editor: Perhaps a desire for equality or a critique of consumerism? Curator: Precisely. The gas station, normally a symbol of forward movement, is rendered still, almost frozen. It makes me wonder about what's being memorialized. Editor: I hadn't considered the quiet stillness as a form of cultural memory. Thanks for pointing that out!