Untitled (fraternity dance, couple with fake hanging manequin) c. 1950

Curator: Here we have an intriguing untitled photograph by Jack Gould, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums, which depicts what seems to be a fraternity dance. Editor: Oh, wow, darkly humorous! My initial take is that it's a tad unsettling, like a weird vaudeville act gone wrong. What's with the hanging figure? Curator: Indeed. It's described as a couple with a fake hanging mannequin. It's interesting how Gould captures this peculiar scene. What purpose did such displays serve within the fraternity's culture? Editor: It feels like a performance within a performance. A twisted take on romance and perhaps some commentary on societal expectations, don't you think? Curator: Perhaps. In this context, such imagery could be seen as playful, or even subversive, depending on the intention and reception within the fraternity's specific history. Editor: Well, whatever it is, Gould certainly knew how to catch our eye and make us ponder the oddities of human expression. Curator: Precisely, it makes us reflect on the shifting sands of taste and social norms.