Untitled (close-up view of woman's earring shaped like a sphere inside a metal spiral) c. 1950

Curator: Here, we have an untitled photograph by Jack Gould from the Harvard Art Museums, a striking close-up of a woman’s earring. Editor: It’s immediately captivating. The negative image gives it a futuristic, almost surreal quality. Curator: The earring's design, a sphere encased within a metal spiral, speaks to larger themes of containment and release, doesn't it? The contrasts are compelling. Editor: Absolutely. And think about the craft. This earring is constructed; its materials must have been carefully chosen and assembled. What kind of labor went into its creation? Curator: From a purely aesthetic viewpoint, the geometric structure creates a dynamic interplay of light and shadow, a visual dance that draws the eye. Editor: Perhaps. But it's not only visual; the earring’s material presence is key, its relationship to the body as adornment, and its connection to systems of value and consumption. Curator: A compelling photograph, regardless of approach. Editor: Indeed, revealing a surprising amount, doesn't it?