Untitled (neon lights at night; a top hat) c. 1950

Curator: I find Jack Gould's "Untitled (neon lights at night; a top hat)" so evocative! The way the neon sings in the dark, it's almost a tiny stage. Editor: Neon signs are so interesting. This feels like a commentary on advertising and consumer culture—the seductiveness of the spectacle. Curator: Absolutely! It's like a little beacon, promising something mysterious, a world just beyond our reach. What do you suppose the top hat represents? Editor: Class, perhaps? Or an outdated form of entertainment. The neon is so bright but it is only advertising. Curator: Hmmm. It really makes you wonder what the artist was trying to capture. Editor: Perhaps it is an observation on capitalism. It makes you question who has the power. Curator: Well, that gives me a lot to think about. Editor: Me too!