Untitled (neon lights at night; "Goody Goody Drive-In') c. 1950

Curator: Immediately, I feel the glow and the buzz of a summer night. It has a cinematic quality. Editor: This untitled work by Jack Gould captures a neon sign reading "Goody Goody Drive-In." The dimensions are quite small, only 5.7 x 5.7 cm. Curator: The way the neon is presented makes me think about the history of roadside attractions. It feels distinctly American. What do you make of its construction? Editor: Considering the limitations of the photographic technology of the time, the process reveals the materiality of capturing light itself. Neon signs relied on cheap and accessible resources to spread their message, and it certainly has a place in the story of American commerce. Curator: I can see that. The sign's construction broadcasts a certain optimism, a post-war vision of accessible pleasure. Editor: Absolutely, a beacon of consumption. Looking at this piece helps us trace the evolution of vernacular signage, its social implications, and the seductive nature of manufactured light. Curator: It’s a little reminder that every image participates in a wider social narrative. Editor: Precisely, a reminder that these fleeting images embed themselves in our collective memory.