Untitled (two giraffes in zoo) c. 1950

Curator: This is an untitled photograph by Jack Gould, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums, depicting two giraffes in what appears to be a zoo enclosure. Editor: The high contrast between the giraffes' patterned hides and the stark brick background definitely gives it a feeling of confinement. You can almost feel the texture of the brick! Curator: Yes, and think about the context of zoos in the mid-20th century. They were often presented as educational tools, but also served to reinforce a human-centric view of the natural world. Editor: Absolutely. And look at those bars—the industrial materials, the repetitive lines—they really highlight the separation of the animals from their natural habitat, reducing them to objects of display. Curator: It also makes me think about the power dynamic inherent in the act of photographing these animals. Gould, and by extension, the viewer, is positioned as the observer, the controller of the gaze. Editor: And it makes you wonder about the labor involved in maintaining these spaces. The brickwork, the bars—someone had to build and care for this enclosure. Curator: Definitely layers to unpack here. It shows how seemingly simple images can reveal complex social and political realities. Editor: Exactly, the photograph's material presence brings attention to the structures of labor, power, and ultimately, confinement.