Gridiron c. 1939

Editor: Mildred Ford's pencil drawing, "Gridiron," created around 1939, presents this utilitarian object with a strange sense of starkness. I mean, it's just a grill, but rendered with such detail and placed so centrally, it demands attention. What strikes you about it? Curator: Well, for me, the subject matter itself is the starting point. Why a gridiron? Ford's choice elevates a commonplace item to the realm of art. We can think about the materiality of this object, likely forged from metal, its function within a domestic, probably working-class context, and the labor involved in its production. The pencil strokes themselves mirror the industrial process to an extent, painstakingly replicating this object for a different purpose. Do you think there is meaning in her attention to labor? Editor: I see what you mean. Taking something functional, that someone had to physically create, and then replicating it, highlighting the process of labor in two ways… Interesting! Curator: Exactly. Consider also the historical moment – the late 1930s. The country was still reeling from the Depression. There may be an implicit commentary here on the dignity of labor and the significance of even the simplest tools in the everyday lives of ordinary people. It speaks to a celebration, perhaps a subtle one, of working-class values. What do you make of that interpretation? Editor: That makes a lot of sense. I initially saw it as a simple object study, but understanding the social context, it takes on new meaning as a sort of quiet celebration. Thanks for illuminating that! Curator: Absolutely! It’s these material and historical considerations that deepen our appreciation of the work, revealing hidden layers of meaning within something seemingly ordinary.