Untitled (room of men at desks, man looking over another man's desk) c. 1950

Curator: Here we have an untitled photograph by Jack Gould, housed at the Harvard Art Museums, depicting a room full of men at desks. It's a small work, only about 2 inches square. Editor: The inversion of tones makes it feel quite clinical, almost like an X-ray of office life. There's a starkness to the scene, focusing on labor and observation. Curator: The image’s power lies in its documentary style. It hints at the social dynamics of the workplace, the hierarchy implied by one man overseeing another's work. Consider the institutional gaze reproduced within the frame. Editor: And consider the labor involved in creating this image. What kind of film was used, and what kind of darkroom processes resulted in this striking negative image? It reframes our understanding of the materiality behind the photographic process. Curator: Precisely. It prompts us to question the power structures inherent in seemingly mundane environments. Editor: Right, and to see value in the hands that developed this film and printed this image. Curator: I leave contemplating the weight of labor it captures. Editor: And the transformation of the ordinary into something unsettling and profound.