Untitled (woman holding several small animals) c. 1950

Editor: Here we have an untitled photograph by Jack Gould, showing a woman holding several small animals. It's a small, almost snapshot-like image. What draws your eye in this piece? Curator: Immediately, the photographic process itself is apparent. This appears to be a negative, highlighting the materiality of the film and the labor involved in its development. The woman’s pose, almost theatrical, contrasts with the everyday setting, suggesting a constructed performance rather than a candid moment. Editor: Performance? Curator: Yes. The negative image transforms familiar elements. The house seems strange, the animals spectral. This disrupts traditional notions of photographic realism. What are the conditions of labor surrounding this woman’s position, or Gould’s access to this scene? Editor: That's a great point. I hadn’t considered the labor involved in staging the photograph itself, just the technical aspects of the medium. Curator: Exactly! Considering process and labor invites a more critical engagement.