Untitled (two sandwich men wearing signs for "Barney's") c. 1950

Curator: This photograph by Jack Gould, showing two sandwich board men advertising "War Surplus" at Barney's, raises interesting questions about labor and consumerism. What strikes you most about it? Editor: I’m interested in how it blurs the line between advertising and documentary photography, especially focusing on materials and process. What can we infer about postwar economies here? Curator: The image highlights the commodification of war and the labor involved in selling these goods. The materiality of the signs, the clothing, and the urban environment all speak to systems of production and distribution. Editor: So, it's less about the artistic merit and more about understanding the photograph as a document of economic activity? Curator: Precisely. Think about how the image itself becomes a commodity, circulated and consumed. Considering the process of making this image informs our understanding of labor and materials. Editor: That gives me a lot to consider about the role of photography in shaping consumer culture. Thank you!