Untitled (party in laundromat, people and washing machines) 1957

Editor: Here we have an untitled photograph by Jack Gould depicting what appears to be a party in a laundromat. The gelatin silver print is quite small. What's your read on the social dynamics at play here? Curator: Laundromats have historically been important social spaces, especially for urban communities. The image almost seems to stage a commentary on class and labor, doesn't it? Consider the uniformity of dress, the suggestion of shared, repetitive tasks. Editor: I see that. The figures do seem frozen in time, almost like a tableau. Curator: Exactly. Gould uses this everyday scene to hint at the socio-economic structures shaping their lives. What do you think the artist intended with the negative image? Editor: I never thought about laundromats having such a complex cultural meaning. Curator: Right? Everyday spaces are ripe with historical context.