-The Dollar Savings Bank of Pittsburgh- still bank c. mid 20th century

Curator: Here we have an intriguing assemblage titled "-The Dollar Savings Bank of Pittsburgh- still bank," dating back to the mid-20th century. Editor: Oh, wow. It’s so... diminutive, yet grand! Like a bank shrunk down for a dollhouse, or a very ambitious squirrel. Curator: Exactly. These metal still banks, often architectural representations, became popular ways to encourage savings, especially among children. They serve as a material culture snapshot of a specific historical relationship with financial institutions. We could discuss savings as linked to identity, and a cultural construct. Editor: Huh, never thought about a piggy bank as a political statement, but you're so right! Looking at it, I'm immediately drawn to how heavy it must feel in your hand. I can imagine that cold metal and weighty heft subtly impressing upon you the gravity of money. Curator: The craftsmanship is a deliberate echo of the Neoclassical style chosen for many banks in the US during the same period. Banks projected an image of stability, trust, and permanence, and this is reflected in the material used. The sculpture echoes forms and ideas about financial stability at the time. Editor: It does! Though knowing what we know now about the…instability of financial institutions, it takes on a touch of irony, doesn't it? It’s a lovely object on the surface, all polished and proper, but it becomes almost comical considering the wild ride of the modern banking world. Curator: Precisely, and from a critical perspective, we might ask whose savings were really being prioritized and whose communities had genuine access. Considering these factors contextualizes the art within discussions of power and equity. Editor: So true! It's like this earnest little metal building unintentionally embodies both the hopes and the flaws of capitalism. Makes you want to jingle a few coins inside, just to ponder the whole messy system. Curator: Indeed, a material microcosm ripe for investigation through varied critical lenses. Editor: It makes one reflect on what the modern equivalent would be… I guess our iPhones? Hmm... a sobering thought.