Untitled (baby gorilla climbing onto chair) c. 1950

Editor: Here we have Jack Gould's small photograph, "Untitled (baby gorilla climbing onto chair)." It's an interesting negative image. What do you see in how he chose to capture this scene? Curator: The use of a negative immediately draws my attention to the photographic process itself. What kind of labor went into developing this image? Was it a conscious decision to reveal the mechanics of image-making, or a simple matter of material availability? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered! Curator: It makes you wonder about the context of the image, doesn't it? Was this gorilla in captivity? What does that say about our consumption and commodification of wildlife? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. It adds a darker layer to what seems like an innocent image. Curator: Indeed. It challenges us to look beyond the cute factor and consider the systems at play. Editor: Thanks, I'll definitely look at photographs differently now.