Untitled (boys playing water polo) c. 1950

Editor: This is "Untitled (boys playing water polo)" by Jack Gould, a small color photograph in the Harvard Art Museums collection. It's such a dynamic scene, all splashing water and reaching arms. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: It's interesting to consider how sports photography, seemingly capturing a spontaneous moment, is also shaped by social expectations and institutional framing. Who is allowed to be represented in athletic contexts and how are those images circulated? What kinds of bodies and activities are celebrated, and which are marginalized? Editor: That's a good point. I hadn't considered the power dynamics in even seemingly simple photographs like this one. Curator: Exactly. Considering the public role of images and the politics behind them adds another layer to our understanding. Editor: I'll definitely look at images differently now. Thanks!