-Radio Bank c. 1927 - 1931

This "Radio Bank" was made by the Kenton Hardware Manufacturing Co. The object’s surface wears a patina of mottled turquoise. I can imagine it was originally brighter, more solid, but now it reveals the touch of time, the wear of hands, and the quiet accumulation of dust. This piece is a little uncanny – I wonder if this “radio bank” makes audible the silent hum of money, of capital. What kind of broadcast does it make? There’s something sad and funny in the idea of saving money inside of a faux-radio. There are three dials, as if awaiting a listener, a user, who might tune in. It's a reminder that art can be a form of listening and transmission. It encourages a playful, open-ended way of seeing the world, where even the most ordinary objects can become sources of reflection and wonder.