Decoy c. 1939

Editor: This is "Decoy," a watercolor and charcoal drawing by Wellington Blewett from around 1939. There’s something unsettling about it. The bird is so still and isolated. What’s your take? Curator: The title is key. The "decoy" speaks volumes about representation, doesn’t it? About manufactured appearances designed to lure. Blewett created this around 1939; what historical anxieties do you think may be under the surface here? Is this quiet stillness before the storm of war and changing ecological landscapes, maybe? Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't thought about it politically. It’s a little scary knowing its only purpose is to trick and potentially hurt other birds. Curator: Exactly. This reflects a specific power dynamic, a human manipulation of nature. How might we read that today in relation to the environment? It is realism in style but the stiffness evokes Surrealism, and given when it was made we can also see social parallels. Consider the concept of false fronts people may adopt within a society... Editor: So the Decoy isn't just an image of a bird. It makes you wonder about manipulation on different levels: nature, human society... That makes it more powerful and complex than it first seems. Curator: Right. Consider, for instance, the economic backdrop – how might that shape or even distort identity? We must be critical when interpreting works of art in this era to really see how that impacts meaning and representation. Editor: It is strange to consider something so seemingly simple could also have complex political implications. Thank you. Curator: Thank you, that critical viewpoint, along with yours as a rising member of our creative sector, is extremely important to our shared dialogue.