Bicycle c. 1938

Curator: Alfred Koehn created this artwork, “Bicycle”, circa 1938. It’s crafted with pencil on paper. Note the subtle watercolor-esque quality about the drawing. What are your first thoughts? Editor: My first thought? Wobble! That front wheel looks alarmingly large. It’s also making me ponder simpler times, when our most pressing concern was mastering balance, with maybe the odd scraped knee. Curator: The artwork indeed presents a slice of the past, reminding us of times where industrial advancement intersected with the individual pursuit of mobility. The drawing captures the very essence of a transitional phase in urban transportation, reflecting back on social trends of that time. Editor: Precisely. But what’s equally compelling is the technical elegance. The artist really delights in rendering all the spokes and joins and mechanical bits! You can sense him thinking carefully about this new machine and how to present it! What's interesting to me is the presence of two different perspectives of the bicycle on one single drawing! Almost like a blueprint in watercolor! Curator: An astute observation. Koehn seems quite fascinated by machinery and architectural rendering. There’s something quietly subversive about dignifying utilitarian objects, presenting the beauty inherent in the everyday through the artist’s eyes. Editor: Agreed. And let’s not overlook the fact that cycling back then – now that's quite literal! – was potentially revolutionary. The bicycle liberated individuals, offered newfound freedom, democratizing movement. Did you also consider this artwork may imply subtle class tensions related to mobility? Curator: I think you are right. With bicycles, individuals who did not have the money to have personal vehicles such as cars, could have one! Alfred Koehn presents in a sophisticated medium and visual language what bicycles and transportation represented back then, socially speaking. Editor: This humble drawing on paper reminds me to seek out joy in function, beauty in utility, and also how important are mobility and freedom. Thanks for enlightening me. Curator: Thank you for your unique insights and for shedding a creative perspective on the socio-historical importance of bicycles.