Untitled (elderly man sitting on city bench, head down) 1961

Editor: This is an untitled photograph by Jack Gould, showing an elderly man sitting on a park bench. It's quite small, only a few inches square, but the image is striking. He's all alone, head down. What feelings does this invoke for you? Curator: It's like a little poem about solitude, isn’t it? The bench becomes his stage, a temporary haven amidst the city's hustle. The hat, the cane—almost props in his quiet drama. I wonder what he’s thinking, or perhaps what he’s choosing *not* to think about. Editor: So, the photograph is about the human condition? Curator: Maybe. Or perhaps it’s about capturing a fleeting moment of introspection. We've all been there, haven't we? Lost in thought, watching the world go by, and feeling utterly, beautifully alone. Editor: That's a lovely way to think about it. I hadn't considered it that way.