Untitled (two birds cockfighting) 1951

Curator: This photograph, by Jack Gould, is titled "Untitled (two birds cockfighting)." Its date is unknown. It's a chromogenic color print, quite small, only 6 by 25 centimeters. Editor: It’s stark. The harsh light, the concrete floor... it feels clandestine, violent, but with a strange detachment. Curator: Cockfighting has a long and complex history across cultures, often associated with masculinity, gambling, and rural traditions. Editor: Right, and the image can be viewed through the lens of animal rights and ethical concerns, raising questions about exploitation and cruelty normalized for entertainment. Who benefits, and at what cost? Curator: Precisely. Gould's photograph documents a practice that exists outside mainstream society. Editor: Looking at the picture, its casual voyeurism leaves me conflicted. It’s brutal, but also a glimpse into a subculture often hidden from view. Curator: It invites us to confront uncomfortable truths about human nature and our relationship to animals. Editor: Absolutely. It challenges viewers to question their own complicity in systems of power and exploitation.