Collonade c. 1936

Curator: Gilbert Sackerman's "Colonnade," dating from around 1936, welcomes us. He's worked primarily in watercolor and drawing to depict this rather stately building. Editor: My initial feeling is that it evokes a hazy memory, a dream perhaps. The softness of the watercolor lends a certain nostalgia. It almost feels like a stage set, doesn't it? Curator: It's certainly theatrical in its presentation. The formal structure of the colonnade and classical detailing offset by the wild abandon of the Virginia creeper makes for an interesting dynamic. The creeping plant sort of softens what might otherwise be quite severe, right? Editor: Precisely. Look how the creepers intertwine with the columns, disrupting the rigid lines. Sackerman creates a dialogue between order and nature, a very clever approach! And notice the interplay of light and shadow – the sharp, geometrical shadows against the organic flow of the foliage. Almost a pre-surrealist effect. Curator: Indeed! Semiotically speaking, we see the crispness of the light on the facade contrasting the shadows. Notice also, he’s rendered those classical elements in a distinctly modern, almost pastel palette. How would you decode those choices? Editor: Perhaps an attempt to democratize the symbols of power and prestige through gentle rendering? The green shutters and porch seem more domestic than grand. I find it captivating how such a simple cityscape transcends literal representation and speaks of memory, light, and the beautiful chaos of the natural world taking hold. Curator: I love that "beautiful chaos" description. Sackerman understood the subtleties of light. A simple choice of colors can evoke very complex emotions. This watercolor has the quality of holding its secrets just beneath the surface. Editor: Exactly. One glance reveals surface, another, secrets. So much from a few strokes of watercolor.