Untitled (two men playing indoor badminton) c. 1950

Curator: This silver gelatin print by Jack Gould captures two men playing badminton. It feels surprisingly intimate, despite the large gymnasium space. Editor: The high contrast creates a stark, almost confrontational mood. It's as if the players are suspended in a moment of intense athletic struggle. Curator: Indeed, the dynamic composition—the player leaping, the shuttlecock frozen in mid-air—speaks to a specific moment in the sport's popularization as recreation. Editor: Notice how the negative space, with the industrial radiators, draws attention to the figures. It’s a study in diagonals, guiding the eye. Curator: The image itself, presented in negative, gives it the quality of a ghostly memory, perhaps evoking nostalgic feelings of a bygone era of athleticism. Editor: It's a clever disruption of expectation, making us consider the image's materiality, its status as a photographic object. Curator: Ultimately, it makes me think about the institutionalization of sport, of leisure, and the physical spaces where such activities played out. Editor: For me, it underscores the beauty of geometric forms, the clean lines, and bold tonal shifts create an absorbing composition.