Untitled (man in firetruck seen from above, cars in driveway) c. 1950

Editor: This photograph, Untitled, by Jack Gould, shows a man in a firetruck, seen from above. The high vantage point is unusual. What strikes you most about this image? Curator: I'm drawn to the photographic process itself. The negative, with its reversed tones, highlights the materiality of the film and the chemical processes involved in its creation. Consider the labor involved in developing and printing this image. Editor: That's interesting. So, you're focusing on the "making of" rather than the "meaning of" in the image itself? Curator: Precisely. The visible "Kodak Safety Film" edge further emphasizes the commercial aspect, the consumption of photographic materials driving artistic production. It makes you think about how the means of production shape what we see. Editor: I hadn't considered that before. Looking at it that way really changes my perspective. Curator: It's about recognizing the value of the labor and the industrial processes that underpin artistic creation.