Untitled (monkey inside house) c. 1950

Editor: This is an untitled photograph by Jack Gould of a monkey at a piano. It's a little unsettling to see an animal so close to replicating human behavior. What are your thoughts on this image? Curator: It’s unsettling because it evokes the complex history of animal representation and exploitation. The monkey, dressed and performing, becomes a symbol of power dynamics and the ways in which we project human desires and expectations onto other species. Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. So, you're saying the photo highlights the exploitation of animals? Curator: Precisely. This image prompts us to consider the ethics of using animals for entertainment and the broader implications of our relationship with the natural world. It makes you think, doesn’t it? Editor: Yes, it definitely does. I'll never look at these images the same way again.