Untitled (two birds cockfighting, with man) 1951

Editor: Here we have an untitled photograph by Jack Gould, depicting two birds cockfighting with a man in the background. It's quite small, almost like a snapshot. What do you see in the material production of this work? Curator: The image's impact lies in its capture of labor, both animal and human. The exploitation inherent in cockfighting and the photographer’s role are key. Consider the socio-economic context and production of images and what the artist is trying to portray with this image of what some consider sport. Editor: That's a dark take, but I hadn't considered the exploitation aspect so directly. Curator: Art often holds uncomfortable truths about how labor, materiality, and consumption intersect.