Untitled (man flexing muscles in "Mr. Universe" competition, front) c. 1951

Editor: This photograph by Jack Gould depicts a bodybuilder flexing at what seems to be a "Mr. Universe" competition. It's interesting how the image is presented as a negative. What stands out to you about the photograph's material qualities and production? Curator: Considering the Kodak safety film border, this isn't just about the bodybuilder, but also about the photographic process itself. The negative state emphasizes light and shadow, highlighting the labor involved in achieving this physique, and the labor of photographic production. How does this relate to the societal construction of idealized masculinity, do you think? Editor: It positions the bodybuilder as a crafted object, similar to how the photograph itself is crafted. So, both are products of labor and societal expectations. I never considered the photographic process itself as part of the artwork's narrative. Curator: Exactly. The material making of the photograph mirrors the making of the body.