Untitled (children in costumes auditioning for theater, girls dancing) c. 1947

Curator: This intriguing gelatin silver print, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums, is by photographer Jack Gould. It’s titled “Untitled (children in costumes auditioning for theater, girls dancing)." Editor: It’s kind of spooky, isn’t it? Like a faded memory, or a scene from a dream…or maybe a nightmare. Curator: The image raises interesting questions about childhood performance and the performativity of gender. The girls, seemingly caught mid-dance, reflect the pressures placed on young girls to embody certain roles. Editor: I feel their excitement, too, though! The sheer joy of being onstage, even with all those hidden expectations bubbling underneath. Curator: Precisely, it's a complex picture, reflecting both the exuberance and the underlying social constructs surrounding these young performers. Editor: It makes me think about how much we project onto children, their potential, their futures... I'm glad we had this little dance with it. Curator: Indeed, art allows us to examine those projections, and understand their historical and social context.