Untitled (five seated woman at DAR meeting) c. 1950

Curator: Jack Gould’s small, untitled photograph captures five women seated at what seems to be a Daughters of the American Revolution meeting. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by the starkness, almost ghostly quality, of the image. The inverted tones give it such a haunting stillness, doesn’t it? Curator: Absolutely. And seeing them like this, almost suspended in time, makes me consider the DAR's complex history around race and exclusion. Editor: Yes, it's impossible to ignore the racial and class dimensions within organizations like the DAR, particularly when viewing the image through a contemporary lens. Curator: The hats, the poised expressions, the subtle power dynamics... I can almost hear the quiet rustle of papers and the weight of tradition. Editor: Gould’s image becomes a poignant reminder of how seemingly innocuous gatherings can be deeply intertwined with larger issues of identity and belonging. Curator: Indeed. It's a photograph that resonates far beyond its modest dimensions.