Untitled (boys playing water polo) c. 1950

Curator: I see a lot of energy in this work. It’s a snapshot of motion. Editor: Indeed. This is a photograph by Jack Gould, currently titled "Untitled (boys playing water polo)" housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It measures only 6 x 6 cm. Curator: The physical scale seems irrelevant given the dynamism captured. The medium itself, photography, became such an accessible method of image-making, democratizing the creation and dissemination of art. Editor: And how did it impact the established academic art world? Consider the role of institutions like the Harvard Art Museums in validating photography as an art form. Curator: It challenged the notion of "art" as solely a product of skilled labor and precious materials. The subject, a casual water polo match, seems deliberately chosen to celebrate everyday activities. Editor: Right, these images, whether carefully considered or spontaneous, become historical documents, reflecting and shaping societal perceptions of sport and leisure. Curator: I find the composition so engaging, I never thought of it as being more than that. Editor: It really causes me to reflect on how sporting events became such important spectacles.