Pig Weather Vane c. 1940

Curator: This is Marian Page's "Pig Weather Vane," circa 1940, composed of metal. What are your first impressions? Editor: It has a stoic charm! I notice immediately how the copper is worn and stained with traces of blue, which evoke themes of weathering and survival. Curator: Indeed. Note how the realism evident in the form allows for a focus on geometric shape. A cylinder provides the base for its feet and guide, with subtle rounding that informs us about volume, but lacks significant embellishment. The patina indicates its use, speaking to a life exposed to the elements, charting winds of the era, embedded perhaps in agrarian systems of capital and exchange. Editor: It prompts questions about American rural history. A weather vane is functional, an indicator of agriculture's dependency on changing conditions. Pigs are connected with prosperity in some readings. How might the rise of industrial farming play against older ideals of abundance, luck, or chance, when viewing a seemingly simple pig? This makes me wonder how Page herself positioned the history of American industrialization. Curator: An intriguing viewpoint. But doesn't the simple beauty and utility of its function get lost with too much social extrapolation? Look how light reflects from its metallic construction. Editor: I think its material condition is vital: those etched, oxidized lines create history. Even its posture, with that curly tail, becomes more charged. Weather vanes guided choices based on seasonal changes—food, safety, movement. The winds dictate life’s possibilities for so many marginalized peoples still today, beyond just agriculture. The object becomes more compelling when activated with this history. Curator: A useful addition to observe these connections. In purely visual terms, its balance of line and mass, as well as how light plays upon the form, offer rich contemplation. Editor: Perhaps a convergence there then. The material object offers a pathway toward those larger conversations. Thank you! Curator: Indeed, my pleasure.