Golfers 1936

Editor: This is "Golfers," a 1936 ink drawing by Donald Carlisle Greason. It's a quick sketch, seemingly capturing a fleeting moment. What can we unpack from the simplicity of the ink and the almost unfinished nature of the piece? Curator: What interests me most here is the democratizing effect of the medium. Ink drawings, traditionally studies for more ‘finished’ works, here become the artwork itself. How does the ready availability and portability of ink and paper shape artistic expression and reach within society? Editor: So, you're suggesting the medium allowed the artist to capture something genuine, without the constraints of more laborious methods? Curator: Exactly. Consider the social context of the 1930s. The accessibility of this medium allowed art to become integrated with daily life and document leisure activities like golf. It moves artmaking away from exclusive studios to a more quotidian existence. Is the artwork accessible not just thematically, but also in the materiality? Editor: I see what you mean. The deliberate sketchiness removes some of the elitism, right? Anyone could conceivably try this. It's not intimidating. Curator: Precisely. And this ease of creation perhaps speaks to the growing accessibility of leisure time for certain segments of society during the interwar period. We have to ask, for whom was leisure time and materials easily available, and how does that class dynamic impact our reading of the drawing? Editor: So, it’s not just a picture of golfers; it is indicative of social shifts around leisure and consumption made accessible to some through new, easily attained materials and practices? Curator: Indeed! The artwork transcends mere representation, becoming a tangible product reflective of broader socio-economic landscapes. Editor: That's a completely fresh perspective for me. Looking at the materials used gives "Golfers" so much added historical weight. Curator: The physical making always reflects social relations and available materials. Focusing on them offers so much insight.