Untitled (man using powder puff to apply make-up to woman's face) c. 1960

Editor: This untitled photograph by Jack Gould shows a woman having her makeup applied. The powder puff seems so soft. What symbols resonate with you in this image? Curator: The ritual of makeup application! It’s laden with symbolism. It represents transformation, the construction of identity. Consider how powder, blush, and lipstick act as a mask, a conscious crafting of self. Editor: A mask... is it about hiding or revealing? Curator: Perhaps both. The woman's closed eyes suggest vulnerability, while the finished makeup promises a presentation, a performance. What do you see in that contrast? Editor: It speaks of expectation, of the gaze – both internal and external. Curator: Precisely. We’re left to wonder what face she will show the world.