Untitled (man with baby chimp) c. 1950

Editor: This is an untitled photograph, taken by Jack Gould, of a man holding a baby chimp. I'm struck by the tenderness in the image. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The image, particularly its title, invites us to consider the historical context of human-animal relationships. How does this photograph participate in the problematic colonial narrative of exoticizing and appropriating the "wild"? Does the man's gesture of care complicate or reinforce power dynamics? Editor: That's interesting, I didn't think of it that way. So you see a tension here? Curator: Absolutely. It's a moment of seeming connection, but it also echoes a history of exploitation and the objectification of non-human primates. Reflecting on this photograph forces us to confront those uncomfortable truths. Editor: Thank you, I see the photograph differently now.