Music Lovers c. 1937 - 1938

Editor: This drawing, "Music Lovers" by William Roberts, shows a group of people listening to music. The figures appear blocky, almost machine-like. How might this relate to the social context of the time? Curator: Roberts, as a Vorticist, was interested in the machine age. Note the figures are dehumanized, reflecting anxieties about industrialization following the First World War. How do you think the communal setting plays into this? Editor: It seems like the shared experience of music doesn't necessarily bring them together emotionally, perhaps highlighting a sense of alienation even in shared leisure. Curator: Precisely. Roberts critiques the promise of technology to create utopia. It offers collective experience but fails to alleviate individual isolation. Editor: That's a sobering thought. Thanks for providing that context! Curator: My pleasure. It’s important to consider art as a reflection and critique of societal anxieties.