Untitled (elderly women wearing hats taking desserts from buffet table) c. 1950

Editor: This Untitled photograph by Jack Gould shows a group of women in hats selecting desserts. It gives me a feeling of nostalgia. What strikes you as significant about this image? Curator: The hats are interesting—they are visual markers of a specific generation and their social customs. They indicate a world valuing formality. The desserts themselves become symbols of abundance and perhaps even a fleeting moment of shared joy. What do these objects tell us about belonging and identity? Editor: So, you’re saying the hats and desserts aren’t just details, but symbols of a particular culture? Curator: Exactly. They trigger a collective memory. Observing how we portray rituals around food and attire allows us to remember who we are. Editor: That's a fresh way to look at this image; I'll remember that!