Untitled (men in suits standing in police line-up, audience watching) 1962

Curator: This photograph by Jack Gould, simply titled "Untitled," captures a police line-up being observed by an audience. Editor: My first impression is that the image feels incredibly staged, despite the supposed candid nature of a line-up. There's a distinct sense of theater, almost. Curator: Exactly. Consider the time this was likely taken; line-ups were public spectacles, reinforcing social order. The audience's presence is integral to the power dynamic. Editor: And those hats! Notice how the suspects’ hats add a layer of almost cartoonish caricature, heightening the feeling of them being displayed and judged. It speaks to collective anxieties about crime and societal transgression. Curator: This photograph really serves as a record of a particular kind of public performance. Editor: Yes, absolutely. It’s quite revealing about the values and fears projected onto certain individuals within the community.