Untitled (neon lights at night, image of a cat) c. 1950

Curator: Oh, I love the whimsicality of this piece by Jack Gould at the Harvard Art Museums. It's simply titled "Untitled (neon lights at night, image of a cat)" and it really does just capture a moment of city magic. Editor: My first thought is the history of minstrelsy and blackface. This image is unsettling. The smiling feline figure recalls the racial caricature of the dandy figure. Curator: Interesting. I see a playfulness rather than a sinister echo. For me, the neon is alluring in a way that transcends, or perhaps even subverts, any specific cultural reading. It glows! Editor: But neon itself isn't neutral. It's always been tied to urban spaces, late capitalism, and the commodification of pleasure. This cat is selling something. Curator: Maybe it's selling joy, or the simple thrill of existing in a vibrant, electric world. Still, I get your point. It's never just about the neon. Editor: Right. The image reminds us of the complex layering of meaning inherent in our visual culture. And how it reproduces racist imagery. Curator: Well, it’s certainly given me something to think about. The purrfect way to start a conversation, wouldn’t you say? Editor: Perhaps. I'm left contemplating the ethics of representation and the power of images to shape our understanding.