Untitled (scientists looking into pool of water at research facility) c. 1950

Editor: This unassuming little photograph, Untitled, by Jack Gould, shows two scientists peering into what looks like a pool at a research facility. What strikes me is the tension between the clinical setting and the very human act of observing. How do you interpret that contrast? Curator: It's fascinating to consider this image through the lens of its production. The scientists, in their lab coats, are part of a system, a process. The facility itself, a space for labor, research, and perhaps even the production of knowledge, becomes the central subject. Editor: So, the 'who' and 'where' are as important as the 'what' they're looking at? Curator: Precisely. The photo isn't just about scientific discovery; it’s about the material conditions that enable it. The cold war and science’s role within it come to mind. Editor: I see. It’s shifted my perception of the image entirely. Curator: That is exactly how contextualizing process allows you to understand the world through art.