Untitled (men shoveling trash behind street sweeper) c. 1950

Curator: Here we have an untitled work by Jack Gould, presently held at the Harvard Art Museums. It depicts men shoveling trash behind a street sweeper. Editor: The high contrast creates a stark, almost unsettling scene. The sheer volume of refuse is pretty overwhelming. Curator: Absolutely. Gould seems to be capturing a specific moment in civic maintenance, drawing attention to the labor often unseen, yet essential. Consider the social hierarchy implied. Editor: And the physical act of shoveling itself—it’s about labor, about the sheer effort required to manage waste and its material reality. I wonder what kind of shovels they are using, are they specific to the task? Curator: Precisely. It’s a reflection on how society manages its waste and who is burdened with that task. These images shape public perception and even policy. Editor: Thinking about it, this work is a stark reminder of the constant cycle of consumption and disposal. Curator: A powerful commentary, even without a specific date, it resonates across eras.