Flip Glass c. 1936

Editor: Here we have Janet Riza's pencil drawing, "Flip Glass," created around 1936. It’s a remarkably detailed study, capturing the texture of the glass. What historical narratives do you see at play within it? Curator: That's a great observation! It makes me wonder about the role of representational drawing during the Depression. In a period marked by intense social realism, why would an artist focus on a relatively quotidian object? Was it simply an aesthetic exercise, or might it represent something more? What does the subject, glass, historically represent? Editor: Maybe a simple pleasure in a difficult time? Glassware, even if mass-produced, might have symbolized a degree of aspiration for the middle class. Curator: Precisely. So, we have to think about the culture of consumerism, even in times of economic hardship. Moreover, the artist’s technique—the detailed rendering in graphite—speaks to a commitment to craftsmanship. Do you see a tension between this detailed labor and the mundane subject matter? Editor: I do. The labor involved elevates the ordinary to something worthy of attention. Could it be a subtle comment on the value of work itself? Curator: That’s an interesting line of inquiry. Art produced under economic pressure reflects on social values, including the labor involved in production and even consumption. Is this glass drawing a simple still life, or does it participate in these deeper issues? What do we learn by elevating the "minor" arts of design and drawing? Editor: I hadn't considered it that way before. I was so focused on its representational aspect. Thanks, that perspective has opened my eyes to its social context. Curator: And thank you! Thinking about it with you makes me question how we still separate 'high art' from the art of the everyday.