Untitled (animals in zoo band; a monkey playing a trombone) c. 1950

Curator: Here we have an intriguing gelatin silver print, roughly 4 by 5 inches, by Jack Gould, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. It's titled simply "Untitled (animals in zoo band; a monkey playing a trombone)." Editor: It's quite striking! The high contrast makes the image almost dreamlike, but there’s also a palpable sense of melancholy, emphasized by the caged windows behind the monkey. Curator: The use of the trombone is quite interesting. Musical instruments often represent cultural sophistication. But here, placed in the grasp of a caged animal, does it comment on forced participation or perhaps the commodification of performance? Editor: Absolutely. The monkey, traditionally a symbol of mimicry, playing the trombone could symbolize humanity aping nature, or vice versa. It reflects a recurring motif in art: the blurring of boundaries between human and animal. Curator: I agree. And think about the labor behind this image, from the manufacturing of the instrument to the training of the animal. It highlights a chain of production and exploitation inherent in entertainment. Editor: The image leaves us with a lot to consider – what does it mean when an animal plays an instrument? It's a symbolic riddle. Curator: Indeed, it's a powerful combination of cultural symbols and material realities that reveals layers of meaning.