Untitled (large crowd watching turtle race on lawn) c. 1950

Curator: The striking gelatin silver print before us, by Jack Gould, captures an "Untitled (large crowd watching turtle race on lawn)." It's intriguing, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Absolutely. The composition is stark, almost theatrical. The stark reversal of tones lends it a dreamlike, unsettling quality. Curator: Indeed. Consider the social dynamics at play here. The turtles, symbols of slow progress, are juxtaposed with a crowd, possibly university students, embodying ideas of intellectual pursuit and privilege. What does this peculiar race signify about institutional advancement and exclusion? Editor: Well, look at the event itself: a turtle race. Such a scene speaks volumes about leisure, spectacle, and the very specific materials of such an event, and the labor needed to execute it. Curator: Precisely. The image urges us to question the frameworks of competition, success, and who gets to participate. Editor: I agree. This photograph encourages us to consider the materiality and social dynamics of the image. Curator: A powerful photograph, indeed. Editor: A compelling work, for sure.