Untitled (two giraffes in zoo) c. 1950

Editor: So, here we have an untitled photo, "Two Giraffes in Zoo," by Jack Gould. It's a small black and white image, and I immediately get a sense of confinement from it. What do you see in this piece that might not be obvious at first glance? Curator: You know, it's interesting. The bars create an obvious barrier, but I wonder if Gould is hinting at a more subtle kind of captivity, the way we look, observe, categorize. Editor: So, the giraffes are in a zoo, but we too are sort of viewing them from behind our own bars? Curator: Exactly. It's a little unsettling, isn't it? It's making me question who is observing whom and to what end. Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way. A bit more philosophical than just giraffes in a zoo, I guess. Curator: These kinds of photos always are, if you let them be.