Untitled (farmer wearing hat displaying wheat in bag) 1949

Editor: This undated, untitled photograph by Jack Gould shows a farmer presenting what looks like wheat, displayed in a bag. The high contrast creates a striking image. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The inverted tones give us space to consider how agricultural labor is often unseen and undervalued. Think about the farmer's position within systems of power and access, especially in relation to food production and distribution. What does it mean to make visible something so fundamental yet frequently ignored? Editor: That makes me consider the photograph's role in giving visibility to these workers. Curator: Exactly. And consider how the artistic choice to invert the tones further emphasizes a turning of our gaze. This act, in itself, becomes a political statement. I wonder, how does this reposition your understanding? Editor: I am now more aware of my own position as viewer. Thank you. Curator: Likewise. It’s exciting to consider art as a call to action.