Untitled (two birds cockfighting) 1951

Editor: This is an untitled work, "two birds cockfighting," by Jack Gould. It's a small photograph. I'm struck by the brutality it depicts. What's your take? Curator: It’s a stark image. Consider cockfighting's history – deeply tied to ideas of masculinity and power. The photograph, irrespective of when it was taken, enters into a long tradition of representing that spectacle. How does it challenge or reinforce that tradition, do you think? Editor: I guess it depends on Gould's intention. The plain setting makes it feel less celebratory and more...bleak. Curator: Exactly. The lack of context almost critiques the spectacle by stripping it down. It's a powerful commentary, whether intended or not, on the social constructs embedded in such events. Editor: I see. By focusing on the act itself, Gould prompts us to consider the broader social implications. Thanks! Curator: Precisely! Thinking about the image this way gives us so much to consider.