Untitled (several men sitting on outdoor bench) c. 1950

Editor: Here we have Jack Gould's "Untitled (several men sitting on outdoor bench)," a small, square gelatin silver print. There's something quietly powerful about this image. What story do you think Gould is trying to tell? Curator: Well, I am immediately drawn to the light, or inverted light rather! It gives the scene an almost dreamlike, surreal quality, doesn't it? It evokes a sense of shared experience, perhaps even a quiet resilience, wouldn't you agree? The hats, the way they sit together... Editor: Yes, I see that! It feels timeless. I was just so focused on the expressions, or lack thereof. Curator: Exactly! That ambiguity invites us to project our own narratives onto them. Art is often a mirror, reflecting our own experiences back at us. Don't you think? Editor: Absolutely, now the inverted light gives the image a completely different feel than I initially perceived. Thanks!