Untitled (students taking exam in large gymnasium) 1950

Editor: This photograph by Jack Gould, simply titled "Untitled (students taking exam in large gymnasium)," captures… well, exactly that! It feels overwhelmingly tense. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a ritual, a collective holding of breath. The gymnasium, usually a space of physical exertion, becomes a theatre of mental endurance. It's a bit like being in church, isn't it, with that hush and the rows of expectant faces? Editor: Definitely a somber kind of atmosphere. Curator: Exactly. It’s a poignant reminder of those shared experiences, the academic gauntlet we’ve all run. Makes you wonder what their hopes and fears were in that very moment. Editor: This makes me think about standardized testing and the anxiety it causes, even now. Curator: Me too! And I’ll wager the students in the photograph were thinking along the same lines. Thanks for the insight!