Sundial 1731

Editor: Here we have Isaac Johnson's "Sundial" from 1731. It’s made of engraved brass and looks surprisingly modern in its design. How do you interpret this piece? Curator: I see this sundial as a testament to the interconnectedness of craft, commerce, and time itself. The very material, brass, speaks volumes. Consider where this metal came from, the labor extracted from mines, the transportation networks facilitating its movement. It's not just about telling time; it's about the material and human cost embedded in its creation. Editor: So, you are emphasizing the metal and how it was extracted, transformed, and made into art, instead of only looking at its beauty and usefulness as a scientific instrument? Curator: Precisely. Even the phrase engraved, "Begyn About your Business," reflects a nascent capitalist ethic – the commodification of time and the exhortation to labor. The inscription points to a changing society and the influence that trade was having in early New York. How does this understanding of materials and manufacturing change how you look at it? Editor: It’s incredible! Knowing all the work that was necessary to bring a block of brass transformed in a sundial, the artwork reveals its ties to colonial New York. Thanks for your insights! Curator: My pleasure! Seeing art through a materialist lens allows us to see how these objects participated in, and reflected, the social and economic currents of their time.