Untitled (man working in foundry) c. 1946

Editor: This small, untitled photograph by Jack Gould shows a man working in a foundry. The tools he's holding and the boxy machinery suggest a laborious process. What can you tell me about the context of this work? Curator: This image brings to mind questions about labor, craft, and industrial processes. Consider the conditions of the foundry. What materials are being used and how would that affect the worker? Editor: I hadn't thought about the worker's health and safety. The image now makes me think about the value we place on labor and artistic creation. Curator: Exactly. It challenges the divide between art and labor. What is the value of the object produced versus the labor required? Editor: That’s a great point, making me reconsider the social implications of the photograph. Curator: Indeed. This work invites us to investigate the means of production.