Untitled (aerial view of empty ferry boat on river) c. 1947

Editor: This black and white photograph by Jack Gould captures an aerial view of an empty ferry boat on a river. It's so stark and geometric. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The composition intrigues me. Observe how the strong horizontal lines of the ferry interrupt the undulating surface of the water. This contrast creates a powerful tension. Editor: I hadn't noticed that! So it's the interplay between those shapes that's significant? Curator: Precisely. And consider the tonal range—the stark whites of the boat against the deep greys and blacks of the water and sky. The photographic grain itself becomes a textural element. Editor: Thank you, I see this image in a new way now. Curator: Indeed. It is in these formal relationships that the essence of the work resides.