Untitled (chimp pretending to fly fake airplane) 1963

Curator: This is an intriguing photograph by Jack Gould, titled "Untitled (chimp pretending to fly fake airplane)." Editor: It's certainly…peculiar. The chimp looks rather forlorn in that gaudy, toy airplane. Curator: Exactly. Consider how the artist utilizes the spectacle of simulated flight, typically associated with freedom and progress, but here it's rendered as a sort of stage for…what exactly? Performance? Editor: I'm more struck by the crude construction. The cheap materials, the obvious artifice of the "airplane." It speaks volumes about commodified dreams and the labor involved in manufacturing desire. Curator: Perhaps. It also suggests the complex relationship between humans and animals, the spectacle of animal performance throughout history. Editor: Yes, but let’s not forget the very real exploitation involved in these scenarios. That chimp is no volunteer! Curator: Quite so. It’s a rather unsettling image, isn't it? Editor: Agreed. Makes you think about the price of entertainment, doesn't it?