Backyards 

Editor: Here we have Mary Blair's watercolor painting "Backyards." The overlapping buildings create such a sense of depth. What's particularly striking to me is the everyday nature of the scene, a sort of intimate peek into a community. How do you interpret this work? Curator: This image offers a poignant glimpse into post-war American life. While seemingly a simple landscape, it implicitly raises questions about urbanization and the changing social fabric. Note how the backyards, though separate, are visually linked through the fence lines and clotheslines. To me, it suggests both connection and isolation in burgeoning suburban communities, and a feeling of constrained yet shared resources and space. Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't considered the clotheslines and fences as symbolic. Do you think Blair was intentionally making a social commentary? Curator: Blair often worked on commercial projects as an illustrator, imbuing what seemed like mere cartoons with rich colour and symbolism. The deliberate choice to paint backyards – spaces traditionally associated with privacy and leisure – invites us to examine the social dynamics present within what was likely an era of housing development and movement towards cities. What appears idyllic is subtly laced with socioeconomic undercurrents. Notice that many homes share access to basic necessities and limited exposure. How does the title of the work itself inform your experience of it? Editor: That makes me think about the potential for these backyards as sites of community but also potential sources of conflict when resources are constrained. It does show there are limited options, not really ‘choice’. Curator: Exactly. These liminal spaces aren’t necessarily beautiful in a conventional sense. Instead they are pregnant with possibility but held back. A reminder, perhaps, to critically assess notions of progress and inclusivity that are more deeply ingrained within post-war American art and the built environment. Editor: I’ve definitely learned to look beyond the surface today. Thank you! Curator: Likewise, every piece is an opportunity to broaden how we experience the world.