Untitled (two men on military telephones) c. 1950

Curator: Here we have Jack Gould’s Untitled photograph of two men on military telephones, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Oh, it’s got that old-school, vaguely sinister vibe, like a scene from "Dr. Strangelove." The scale of the image is small, almost intimate, despite the serious subject. Curator: Indeed. The image resonates with Cold War anxieties, where communication was key, and the consequences of miscommunication catastrophic. Notice the men's uniforms, the intense focus, and the technology that both connects and isolates them. Editor: It makes you think about the weight of those conversations, doesn’t it? All the tension and decisions held in those red phones. I’d almost want to pick it up, but maybe it’s better to just listen to the echoes. Curator: Absolutely, and considering its context, the artwork serves as a potent reminder of the power dynamics at play during that era, and the ways in which those continue to shape geopolitical landscapes today. Editor: It is a stark image, compelling and thought-provoking. I’m glad we stopped here.