Untitled (children dancing in ballet class, four girls on pointed toe) 1948

Curator: I'm captivated by this gelatin silver print from Jack Gould, showing young ballet dancers "en pointe." It's so small, almost like a dream captured in a square. Editor: It's ghostly! That inversion of tone gives the ballet class a kind of ethereal quality. The material of the print itself contributes to that effect, don't you think? Curator: Absolutely! The dance studio becomes this strange, upside-down world. They appear weightless, these little dancers. Editor: And what about their dresses? Look at the labor sewn into each one, the material that defines each child’s status and participation. Curator: I see that, it makes me wonder about the girls' aspirations. I like how Gould uses the negative image to turn the familiar scene into something surreal. Editor: I agree! The materiality of the image and the materials of the dresses open up a dialogue about labor and performance in unexpected ways. Curator: It's quite beautiful how such a small object can suggest so much about childhood and the pursuit of beauty, though. Editor: It truly captures the material reality and the dream-like quality of ballet all at once.