Untitled (large group of men sitting at banquet tables) 1957

Editor: This photograph by Jack Gould, "Untitled (large group of men sitting at banquet tables)," captures a formal gathering. The men, uniformly dressed, seem to represent a collective identity. What symbols do you see operating here? Curator: Notice the uniformity – the white jackets, the similar haircuts. This suggests a shared profession or status, creating a visual symbol of unity and conformity. Consider the banquet setting itself; what does shared food and drink represent across cultures? Editor: A sense of community, perhaps? Or even ritual? Curator: Exactly. The very act of gathering around a table, sharing a meal, is laden with symbolic meaning, signifying trust, agreement, and a collective identity reinforced by shared experience. What do you make of their expressions? Editor: They seem almost… reserved. It adds to the feeling of a pre-ordained ritual being performed. Thanks, I never thought of a banquet as a symbol before. Curator: Photography freezes that symbolism, inviting us to decode the cultural memory embedded within such gatherings.