Untitled (four women wearing funny floral hats) 1949

Editor: Here we have an untitled photograph by Jack Gould, showing four women in floral hats. It has an intriguing, almost theatrical quality. What do you see in this image? Curator: The hats, seemingly frivolous, become a point of departure. Consider the social history of women and fashion: Are these hats expressions of individual agency or conformity to societal expectations? Editor: That's a good question! Curator: This image prompts us to consider the performance of identity, especially for women. What narratives do these clothes and objects create, and how do they challenge or reinforce existing power structures? Editor: I hadn't thought about the hats as anything other than decorative before! Curator: Exactly. Art can open up new pathways for how we contextualize gender and status.