Untitled (mules on farmland) c. 1950

Curator: Jack Gould’s photograph, simply titled “Untitled (mules on farmland),” captures a large group of mules in a fenced pasture, with a windmill standing tall in the background. Editor: This image speaks of rural labor, of the American pastoral dream turned slightly surreal by the inverted tones. It's heavy with the implications of labor and exploitation, no? Curator: The mule, often a symbol of stubbornness, here becomes a symbol of exploited labor—the backbone of Southern agriculture and a critical component in shaping our understanding of rural economies and the socio-political landscape of the time. Editor: The windmill, too, resonates. A symbol of progress, but also of harnessing nature, imposing control. And the collective image of the mules suggests a silent agreement to a life of work, burdened by their genetic predispositions. Curator: Considering this through a critical race perspective, we can see how these animals were instrumentalized within agricultural power structures, reflecting broader issues of inequality and the exploitation of both human and animal labor. Editor: Ultimately, the photo serves as a stark reminder of the complex relationship between humans, animals, and the land, and it provokes important questions about the cost of progress. Curator: Absolutely. It’s a landscape of work, control, and perhaps a silent resistance, captured in a single, compelling frame.