Untitled (children waiting in line to use drinking fountain) c. 1950

Curator: This is an untitled photograph by Jack Gould, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection, depicting children waiting in line to use a drinking fountain. Editor: The stark, almost ghostly tonality gives it a slightly unsettling feel, doesn't it? The composition, with the line receding into the distance, is quite effective. Curator: Indeed. Knowing the historical context of segregated drinking fountains adds a layer of meaning. The image then speaks to broader issues of access, inequality, and the lived experience of children in that era. Editor: The formal arrangement of the children, their postures... it's almost a study in anticipation. The use of light and shadow reinforces this sense of delayed gratification. Curator: Absolutely, and that juxtaposition of the individual thirst being quenched with the communal patience underscores the power dynamics at play. Editor: I’m struck by how the inverted palette highlights the formal elements while obscuring the subjects' humanity. It gives one pause. Curator: Precisely. The photograph invites us to reflect on the systems that shape our access to even the most basic resources.