Small Tin Framed Mirror c. 1937

Curator: Here we have Majel G. Claflin’s "Small Tin Framed Mirror," a mixed-media drawing created around 1937. Editor: Well, the first thing that strikes me is how the austerity of the mirror's geometrical frame contrasts against the softness of the scalloped, pink border, a real material dissonance that sparks a curious mood. Curator: Precisely. Let’s examine that geometrical frame. Notice the eight sides and the radiating floral elements. Claflin plays with a formal symmetry, offset by the hand-drawn, slightly imperfect quality of the elements. It reminds me of folk art traditions but processed through a distinctly academic lens. Editor: I'm interested in the ‘tin’ itself. Was it meant as an aspirational item for the working class, a signifier of humble yet carefully made domestic objects in the midst of The Great Depression? The mirroring and the drawing merge craft with an understated utility. Curator: I see that, certainly, but consider also how the stark black background forces a contemplation on absence and presence – what the mirror *could* reflect versus its graphic representation on the page. The interplay of these positive and negative spaces provides structure to the eye. Editor: Perhaps the contrast comes from the scarcity mindset, with value put on function and thrift, elevating it to design, wouldn’t you say? Curator: Maybe, and at its heart, this remains a study in form, function, and representation. Editor: So ultimately, Claflin urges us to think deeply about not just what we value aesthetically but how such values were formed out of the material conditions of its era. Curator: In that case, "Small Tin Framed Mirror," truly becomes a mirror reflecting social and historical truths as much as a surface for personal reflection.