Untitled (butcher taking long sausage from almost-empty meat locker) 1945

Curator: This unassuming photograph by Jack Gould depicts a butcher in what appears to be a nearly empty meat locker. It's quite stark, isn't it? The high contrast and narrow depth of field lend it a sense of unease. Editor: It’s interesting to consider the butchering trade and its role in the social fabric when we see images like this. Gould's choice of a seemingly banal subject elevates the everyday labor. Curator: Absolutely. The negative format offers a look into the mechanics of image production. We see the materials of photography laid bare, which prompts consideration of the layers of production and their purpose. Editor: Right, and the image is a record of a bygone industry, a social commentary on labor and food production practices of a particular time. Curator: It encourages us to consider the role of photography in documenting and, perhaps, even glorifying the working class. Editor: A potent glimpse into our past, rendered through the lens—literally and figuratively.