Untitled (crowd standing behind barracide, officer in front) c. 1950

Editor: This silver gelatin print by Jack Gould features a crowd behind a barricade, with an officer in the foreground. The inverted tones create a stark, almost dreamlike quality. What strikes you about the composition? Curator: The image utilizes the formal elements of light and shadow to create a dynamic contrast. The inverted tones flatten the pictorial space, emphasizing the geometric shapes of the architecture and the human forms. The officer's uniform, with its sharp lines and insignia, is juxtaposed with the softer, more rounded shapes of the crowd. Editor: So, the stark contrasts and geometric shapes are key? Curator: Precisely. The photographer manipulates the tonal range to highlight the structural aspects of the scene, inviting the viewer to consider the formal relationships between the various elements, rather than focusing on narrative or context. What do you think about the barrier separating the officer and the crowd? Editor: I noticed that, too, but I hadn't considered it in terms of formal relationships. Thanks for pointing that out!