Untitled (rhinoceros in zoo) c. 1950

Curator: Jack Gould's small, untitled photograph, depicting rhinoceroses in a zoo, presents a rather stark composition. Editor: My initial reaction is one of texture—the rough, almost prehistoric skin of these creatures dominates the frame. The composition is surprisingly intimate. Curator: Indeed. Gould captures this intimacy through the photographic process itself. Consider the film's materiality: the grain, the stark contrast of light and shadow. It speaks to the raw reality of animal captivity. Editor: The formal qualities certainly emphasize this. The monochromatic palette eliminates distractions, focusing the viewer on the anatomical details and the overall structure of their forms. Curator: And the zoo enclosure—merely suggested by the wooden fence—frames these animals not only within the picture, but also within a socio-political context of control and observation. Editor: I see it. The composition, in its starkness, highlights the confinement. Ultimately, Gould’s choices present a study of texture, form, and the quiet somberness of lives observed. Curator: Precisely, the labor and materials used in constructing the zoo, and then documenting it here in this photograph. It all speaks to a complex system of power.