Untitled (man talking on telephone, looking down) c. 1950

Curator: This is Jack Gould's "Untitled (man talking on telephone, looking down)," a gelatin silver print, its dimensions are quite intimate, only about 5.7 x 5.7 cm. Editor: The image feels shrouded, almost dreamlike. The man seems isolated, suspended in a private moment. It has an eerie quality. Curator: Exactly. Gould’s photographic choices highlight the alienation of communication. The man, likely in a public telephone booth, is physically connected but emotionally distant. Editor: I keep thinking about who he’s talking to, or rather, what’s he really saying? The downward gaze, the precarious stance…it’s heavy with unspoken words. Curator: The photograph echoes the transient nature of communication and how gender, work, and class play into accessing this "public" resource. Editor: It's funny how a simple image can open up to so many readings. It makes you want to pick up the phone, or maybe just put it down for good.