Untitled (elderly women seated at DAR meeting, one woman standing) 1950

Editor: This is an untitled photograph by Jack Gould depicting elderly women at a DAR meeting. It's a small gelatin silver print, almost like a snapshot. What strikes me is how... intense the image is, even a little surreal! What do you make of it? Curator: It feels almost like a stage play, doesn't it? All these women, frozen in time, caught in the ritual of their meeting. I see a portrait of a very specific social world, perhaps a bit faded, a bit theatrical, a world with strict social codes. Editor: The hats definitely add to that theatrical feel. What do you think Gould was trying to capture? Curator: Perhaps the last act of a generation, or maybe a humorous reflection on a world he both knew and felt distanced from. I get a sense of curiosity mixed with a touch of irony. Editor: I never would have seen that! Thanks. Curator: Of course! It’s all about the stories we tell ourselves when we look, isn't it?