Spur 1935 - 1942

Editor: Here we have Gerald Transpota’s drawing, "Spur," created between 1935 and 1942. It's a highly detailed, realistic depiction of, well, a spur. I'm immediately struck by the contrast between the delicate linework and the object's rather aggressive nature. What do you make of it? Curator: The composition, certainly, directs our attention. The object is isolated, devoid of contextual clues, encouraging us to consider its formal properties first. The meticulous cross-hatching creates a surprisingly tactile quality. Note how the artist renders the metal’s texture; almost a kind of hyperrealism, no? Editor: Yes, the details are incredible! The cross-hatching is so dense. It gives it almost a sculptural feel, despite being a drawing. What does that attention to texture tell us? Curator: It calls attention to the materiality of the spur itself. Consider the lines— the ways they construct volume and delineate form. See how the artist manipulates the density and direction of these lines to articulate the light and shadow across the surface. What effect does that have? Editor: It definitely highlights the object’s three-dimensionality, giving it weight. The shading really emphasizes the sharpness of the prongs, too. Curator: Precisely. And what is the effect of including the phrase "actual size" at the bottom? It reinforces the artist's project. Transpota directs us to consider the object itself: its inherent form, function, and the ways it occupies space. Editor: That makes sense. Focusing on form strips away any romanticized ideas about the Wild West, I suppose. It’s a very clinical depiction. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. It is quite rewarding to examine the composition through the texture of cross-hatching as it brings form to a once purely functional design.