Untitled (fraternity and sorority competition winners with trophy) c. 1950

Curator: Jack Gould's "Untitled (fraternity and sorority competition winners with trophy)" presents a striking, almost spectral, image. Editor: It has a haunting quality, doesn't it? All those faces, frozen in what looks like mid-celebration, but the inverted tones give it this eerie feel. Curator: The photograph, though simple in subject matter, speaks volumes about social structures and the performance of identity. Note the composition: the trophy held aloft, the clear division of winners and onlookers. Editor: And the materials, the film itself, and the printing process, speak to a certain accessibility. Photography as a tool for documenting and solidifying social status in this context. It's interesting to think about the labor involved, too. Curator: Absolutely. The context of fraternity and sorority life is so steeped in exclusivity and tradition, and Gould's image captures a fleeting moment of triumph within that framework. Editor: But this inversion unsettles that triumph, makes us question the permanence of that status. Curator: It’s a great example of how a single image can encapsulate larger conversations about power, privilege, and representation. Editor: Indeed, it prompts a deeper look at the materiality of image-making and its role in reflecting social dynamics.