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

Curator: This is an untitled photograph by Jack Gould, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. It depicts men in suits, posed as if in a police line-up. Editor: The composition feels immediately unsettling, almost theatrical. The stark contrast and their rigid stances evoke a sense of institutional power. Curator: Precisely. The suits themselves are symbolic, representing conformity and perhaps complicity within systems of authority. The line-up arrangement suggests a loss of individual identity. Editor: And who gets to define guilt or innocence within those systems? The diversity in the lineup makes me think about the politics of representation and the way power structures often operate. Curator: Absolutely. Perhaps Gould is exploring the psychological weight of being seen, judged, and categorized by society. The men become symbols of broader societal anxieties. Editor: It prompts me to think about visibility, who is made visible, and the implications of that visibility within a society steeped in power imbalances. It is a call to dismantle outdated structures. Curator: It's a simple yet potent image, ripe with layers of cultural significance. Editor: Indeed, a powerful commentary on the dynamics of power and identity.