Untitled (boy carrying bike) 1956

Editor: This is an untitled black and white photograph by Jack Gould, depicting a boy carrying a bike. The negative image creates an interesting contrast. How do you interpret this work? Curator: The reversed tonality foregrounds the materiality of the photographic process itself. I see the labor involved, from the boy carrying the bicycle to the production of the image on Kodak safety film. The means of production are highlighted, are they not? Editor: Yes, I see what you mean. It's less about the subject and more about how the image was made and its components. Curator: Exactly! The film itself, the chemicals, the labor of the photographer—all contribute to the final product we see. Considering the social context of its making further enriches our understanding. What do you think?