Untitled (people seen from behind standing outside looking up at airplane) c. 1950

Editor: Here we have an untitled photograph by Jack Gould, showing people looking up at a plane. It's a small, square print. What do you see here, beyond the obvious? Curator: I notice the negative printing process. The reversal highlights the materiality of photography itself. Consider the socio-economic implications of air travel at the time, juxtaposed with the labor involved in producing a photograph. Editor: So, you're saying the process itself emphasizes class differences? Curator: Exactly. The act of capturing this scene, the materials used, and the implied social status of air travel, all point to systems of production and consumption. What does it suggest to you? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way, but it's fascinating to consider the layers of meaning embedded in the materials.