Bandbox (section) c. 1939

This section of a bandbox was made by David Dorfman at an unknown date using paint on paper. What strikes me is the kind of loose application of the paint, like a watercolour but with more body. This gives the scene a dreamlike quality. Looking at the marks, you can see how the texture of the paper remains visible throughout. The background is marbled with blues and whites, giving it a sense of depth that contrasts with the flatness of the figures. There’s a really lovely tension between the graphic and the painterly. Consider the wheels of the chariot for example; they’re rendered with such simplicity, yet they imply movement and energy. It reminds me of the work of Bill Traylor, in its use of flattened space. Ultimately, it’s about how we see, and how art invites us to see the world anew, with fresh eyes.