Untitled (men laying cable; spool of cable in foreground) 1947

Curator: Here we have an intriguing, undated photograph from Jack Gould, simply titled "Untitled (men laying cable; spool of cable in foreground)." Editor: My first thought? Eerie. It’s like witnessing a ghostly construction scene. The inverted tones give everything an otherworldly feel. Curator: Yes, that reversal is striking. The men appear almost spectral as they work. It reminds me of that era's fascination with progress, with laying the foundations for a wired world, literally. Editor: Definitely. Cables symbolize connection, communication. But here, they also evoke a sense of unseen infrastructure and invisible labor. These figures stand for the hidden hands that build our world. Curator: I think you’re right, and that it is very interesting that Jack Gould did not date it, because it could be about any moment of the building of our technological world. Editor: And it’s almost romantic, this harsh light. I think that Gould captured a moment of transition, a liminal space between old methods and something new and unknown. Curator: That’s a beautiful way to put it. It makes me wonder, what will be the spectral infrastructure of tomorrow?