Untitled (view of swimming pool in wooded area, two women on hill above pool) 1950

Curator: This intriguing black and white photograph by Jack Gould, held at the Harvard Art Museums, presents an untitled view of a swimming pool nestled in a wooded area, with two women observing from a rise. Editor: It's immediately evocative. The stark contrast gives it a dreamlike, almost unsettling quality, like a memory half-forgotten. Curator: Indeed. Gould's choice to depict this scene – the leisure of a swimming pool juxtaposed against a natural backdrop, viewed from a distance – raises questions about access and observation. Who has the privilege to relax, and who is merely watching? Editor: Absolutely, it makes me think about the politics of space and leisure. Are these women invited to swim? Or are they positioned as outsiders, gazing in? And the inversion of light and shadow in the negative image only heightens that sense of alienation. Curator: We can’t ignore the historical context; photography like this often served to document and reinforce societal structures. Examining its use of perspective and subject matter gives us insight into the period’s social dynamics. Editor: It's a powerful reminder that even seemingly simple images can reveal complex narratives about power, privilege, and representation. I wonder if Gould intended this reading. Curator: Regardless of intention, the image resonates with contemporary dialogues on social justice and access. Editor: Yes, it encourages us to question what we see and to consider the unspoken stories behind the image.