Untitled (couple sitting on chairs) c. 1950

Editor: This is an untitled photograph by Jack Gould, showing a couple seated on chairs. The stark contrast and negative image give it a somewhat eerie feel. What strikes you about this work? Curator: I’m drawn to the chairs themselves, and the labor involved in their production. Were they mass-produced, or crafted individually? The social context of leisure, suggested by the couple, contrasts with the often-unseen labor behind these commonplace objects. What does their pose tell us about consumption? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. Thinking about the labor really changes my reading of the image. Curator: Indeed. The image invites us to look beyond the surface and consider the full material and social story.