Untitled (men standing under building scaffolding; looking up) 1950

Editor: Here we have an untitled photograph by Jack Gould, showing men beneath scaffolding. It's a simple image, but the repetition of figures and the industrial setting are striking. What catches your eye? Curator: Immediately, the raw materiality of labor stands out. Consider the scaffolding: a temporary, functional structure, now the very framework of the image. It speaks to the means of production, the physical exertion involved in building. Editor: So, you see the photo as highlighting the labor involved in construction? Curator: Precisely. It shifts our focus from the finished building to the process, the human effort. The men themselves become materials in this grand scheme, their bodies contributing to the final product. Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. Thanks!