Untitled (top secret war book with military telephone) c. 1950

Editor: Here we have an untitled photograph by Jack Gould of a "top secret war book with military telephone." It seems to capture the banality of war. What catches your eye? Curator: The image depicts the tools of war and bureaucracy: the phone, the book, the switchboard. The materiality of these objects speaks volumes about labor and social control during the Cold War. What kind of labor do you imagine went into constructing and maintaining this system? Editor: It's interesting to think about the human effort behind such a dehumanizing system. I never considered how the materials themselves contribute to that narrative. Curator: Exactly. The photo challenges the traditional notion of art by elevating the mundane objects of military infrastructure to objects worthy of contemplation. The banality is the point. Editor: I see that now; it’s a powerful statement.