Untitled (government telephones with many buttons) c. 1950

Curator: This intriguing photograph by Jack Gould, simply titled "Untitled (government telephones with many buttons)," presents us with a tableau of mid-century communication technology. The image itself is small, only 6x6 cm. Editor: What strikes me immediately is how cold it feels. The pale colors, the repetitive buttons, the dangling cords... it evokes a sense of sterile efficiency, like a machine waiting for a command. Curator: Absolutely. The materiality of these objects – the molded plastic of the telephones, the metal console – speaks to a specific era and a utilitarian design language. The presence of acronyms like NORAD and USAF underscore the military-industrial complex that defined much of 20th-century production. Editor: And those acronyms are powerful symbols! NORAD, in particular, conjures up images of Cold War anxieties, of constant vigilance. These aren't just phones; they are conduits to a world on the brink. They’re like relics of a very specific psychological landscape. Curator: Exactly. By focusing on these often-overlooked technologies, Gould draws attention to the material conditions that underpin those anxieties. The labor and resources poured into these systems. Editor: It makes you wonder about the unseen people on the other end of those lines, the weight of their decisions. Perhaps Gould is reminding us of the human element lost within these imposing structures. Curator: Indeed, a potent reminder of the tangible infrastructure shaping our intangible fears. Editor: A chilling photograph, made all the more so by its quiet, unassuming presentation.