Brass Key c. 1940

Editor: So, this is D.J. Grant's "Brass Key," done around 1940, a watercolor and drawing piece. It’s making me think about locked doors and hidden meanings, it also gives a feeling of history because of how well the detail on the metal key has been rendered, as well as its colour. I wonder, what secrets do you think Grant was trying to unlock here? Curator: Ah, the mysteries held in mundane objects! For me, this isn't necessarily about unlocking external secrets. I see a very deliberate act of *seeing*. Grant took an everyday item and really *looked* at it. Did you notice how he’s captured the subtle gradations of colour on the brass? Almost loving. Don’t you think it's a celebration of form, shape, and the simple beauty in utilitarian design? What stands out most to you, aesthetically? Editor: I think the detailed geometric head of the key contrasts sharply with the soft watercolors, creating a sort of realistic, graphic design style. Curator: Precisely! The rigid geometry set against the fluidity of watercolor makes it more visually arresting than a photograph. He's transforming a common key into a symbolic object and yet is it? Or, perhaps, does this simply imply that it's enough to capture the mundane perfectly to extract its inherent interest? How does the rendering change your relationship to it? Editor: It's less about the function of the key, more about the beauty of its shape and its historical relevance - like, it may no longer be used but has been treasured, like this artistic rendering of the same subject! Curator: Exactly! Think about it: the artist makes us contemplate what we generally overlook and almost elevates a small artefact, perhaps to challenge viewers. Editor: That is so fascinating - to immortalize an everyday object, unlocking a new way of seeing the world around us! Curator: Yes, that's where the real magic happens! Thanks for making that observation.