Watch Chain 1935 - 1942

Editor: Here we have "Watch Chain" by Edna C. Rex, created sometime between 1935 and 1942. It's a watercolor drawing on paper, and what strikes me is how simply and directly it depicts this everyday object. What catches your eye about this piece? Curator: What's fascinating here is considering the labor embedded within. Look at the texture Rex creates. The watercolor mimics the weave of the chain. What kind of process might the creation of that chain have entailed, from raw material to finished product? And what of Rex’s own process, carefully rendering this manufactured object? Editor: So you’re thinking about the actual making of the chain itself? How would that influence Rex's choices in representing it? Curator: Precisely! The chain becomes an emblem of industry and labor. This wasn't some precious, unique jewel; it's a mass-produced item. Rex forces us to consider the value we place on objects, the effort put into their production, and how that intersects with artistic representation. Where does "art" begin and "labor" end, especially when we know that many artists throughout time were thought of as 'laborers'? Editor: That’s interesting. I was focused on the aesthetic quality, but you've shifted my perspective to the social implications of both the subject matter and Rex's act of depicting it. Is it possibly making a comment about accessibility and how it intersects with art, consumption and the role of artists during that era? Curator: Indeed! Rex highlights the common object, making us think about its value, its making, and the society that produces and consumes it. And as a student yourself, are the lines of value of labor always clear-cut? Editor: Not at all! Thank you. That's really given me a lot to consider. Curator: And me as well! It's essential to always remember the work that went into every single art piece.