Wooden Cross c. 1940

George File made this wooden cross. Its hand-carved details and inscription, ‘Nov 4, 1900, Frank Sekanak, Age 37,’ immediately suggest a commemorative object, likely a grave marker. The cross is skillfully fashioned, but also quite rough-hewn. Notice the way the wood grain remains visible, as if the maker wanted to emphasize the inherent qualities of the material. The symmetrical shape is carefully rendered. But the overall impression is more folk than fine art, more vernacular architecture than high design. The process speaks to a specific social context. Perhaps Sekanak was a member of a close-knit, perhaps immigrant community. Making the grave marker by hand, rather than purchasing it, would have been a way of expressing collective identity, and also honoring the deceased with the gift of labor. By focusing on the materials, making, and context, we gain insight into the cross's full meaning, challenging traditional distinctions between art and craft.