Untitled (children in swimming attire on deck by pool) c. 1950

Curator: This photograph by Jack Gould captures children on a pool deck. We don’t have a date for it, but it’s a gelatin silver print, quite small, only about two inches square. Editor: It's haunting, almost dreamlike. The inverted tones give it an eerie quality, like a memory fading at the edges. Curator: Absolutely, and consider the symbolism here. Swimming pools were often sites of leisure, but also segregation. This image, devoid of context, could speak to themes of exclusion and privilege. Editor: Or perhaps the innocence of childhood, before such divisions are understood. The diving board becomes a symbol of daring, the water a space of freedom. Those awkward swimsuits, such vulnerability. Curator: The image challenges us to confront how public spaces are laden with social and political meaning. This could be anywhere, anytime. Editor: It speaks to how even lighthearted moments can carry the weight of collective history. Curator: Precisely; a small photograph, but with a vast resonance. Editor: It is a compelling piece; I see it differently now.