Untitled (mother chimp holding baby chimp) c. 1950

Curator: This is an intriguing image, an untitled photograph of a mother chimp holding her baby, attributed to Jack Gould. Editor: It's striking. The stark contrast and tight framing really focus our attention on the bond between mother and child. It’s such a universal image, the protective embrace... Curator: Yes, but the lack of context is also important. Where was this photograph taken? Was it in a zoo, a lab? The setting plays a crucial role in how we understand this maternal scene. Editor: The image speaks to the iconography of motherhood, across species. The nurturing posture, the infant's dependence... it taps into something primal. Curator: Certainly, but that reading is also shaped by how we’ve historically viewed primates – as stand-ins for ourselves, blurring lines between human and animal. This has often been used to justify problematic colonial and scientific practices. Editor: True, the symbolism is complex. But on the surface, at least, it evokes empathy. Curator: Perhaps too readily. It’s a good reminder to consider the power dynamics inherent in even the simplest images.