Untitled (boy in flippers and mask sitting on deck by pool) c. 1950

Curator: This is an untitled photograph by Jack Gould, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. It pictures a boy in flippers and a mask sitting on the deck by a pool. Editor: Something about this image feels like anticipation, that pause before diving into something unknown and exhilarating. Curator: It’s striking how the Kodak film markings are visible on the print; they are a direct reminder of the materials used to capture this moment. I'm curious about Gould's intentions by including them. Editor: The film border grounds the image, reminding us it's an object, a manufactured memory. But I see the boy, that awkward gear, and I’m transported, ready for adventure. Curator: Maybe it's both. The mundane film and the fantastical imagination, they co-exist, and maybe even enhance each other. Editor: Yes, a perfect reminder that even our dreams are built on something very real.