Untitled (Men working on large machinery, seen from below) c. 1950

Curator: What strikes me about this small gelatin silver print, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums, is the imposing scale suggested despite the modest dimensions. It's simply titled "Untitled (Men working on large machinery, seen from below)" by Jack Gould. Editor: The composition really emphasizes the sheer size. The inverted perspective dwarfs the workers; they're almost consumed by this skeletal metallic beast. Curator: Absolutely. Consider the context of labor in the early to mid-20th century. There's an element of celebrating industrial progress, of man's conquest over nature. Editor: I see that, but the negative image process also lends a certain alien quality to the scene. It's not just about celebrating progress; it highlights the strenuousness and dehumanizing aspects of industrial labor. The materiality of steel and the bodily presence are undeniable here. Curator: It makes you question who benefits and who is sacrificed in the name of progress, right? Editor: Yes, and it shows how the means of production literally tower over those who operate it. It's all about the interplay of labor, industry, and how it all literally appears on the surface of this gelatin silver print. Curator: A thought-provoking contrast between progress and the people powering it. Editor: Exactly. A fascinating glimpse into a world shaped by labor and materials.