Untitled (children riding flat roller coaster at amusement park) 1947

Curator: This is an untitled photograph by Jack Gould, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Its dimensions are modest, just 5.7 by 5.7 centimeters. Editor: It's striking how the inverted tones create an eerie, dreamlike atmosphere, a stark contrast to the intended joy of an amusement park. The composition is very boxy as well, contributing to the overall feeling of constriction. Curator: Indeed. The image shows children on a carousel. Considering the socio-economic context, amusement parks were spaces of collective leisure, accessible to a broad public, shaping shared experiences and memories. Editor: The negative image makes the carousel almost skeletal. Look at the intricate carving on the horse. It appears very ornamental and detailed, yet flattened within the photographic plane. Curator: The photograph's ambiguity encourages us to look beyond the subject matter and reflect on the image's relationship to memory, representation, and perhaps the ephemeral nature of childhood. Editor: Ultimately, Gould gives us this intense visual experience through a simple inversion, prompting an examination of form and function in photography.