Flat-iron Holder c. 1938

Editor: This is Filippo Porreca's "Flat-iron Holder," dating from around 1938. It's a pencil drawing on toned paper, and it strikes me as interesting that he chose such an ordinary, domestic object as his subject. What jumps out at you when you look at this piece? Curator: What immediately interests me is the representation of labor through the very act of its depiction. Porreca, by carefully rendering this everyday object, elevates the tool used in domestic work to something worthy of artistic consideration. Look at the repetitive lines he uses, mirroring the repetitive nature of ironing itself. Do you think this act of artistic labor highlights the more unseen domestic labor? Editor: That's a great point. I hadn't considered the connection between Porreca's work and the unseen labor the object represents. How do the material choices affect your interpretation? Curator: The pencil on toned paper provides a softness, a delicate treatment of an object typically associated with heat and pressure. The 'sketchbook drawing' quality and ‘light pencil work’ remind us that the iron itself requires a form of human touch to even come into being – manufactured and transported – making the whole work question production and consumption of this humble piece of equipment. Perhaps we could think about the societal view of work in the 1930's? Editor: It makes me rethink the artistry in everyday objects and the hands that create and use them. It makes the idea of domestic craft more obvious. Curator: Precisely! By immortalizing a commonplace tool, Porreca asks us to contemplate the artistry inherent in the manufacturing and utilization of something we might otherwise overlook, celebrating the act of making as an art form in itself. Editor: I see that now. Thinking about the production makes it a very modern image indeed! Thanks for your insights!