Clamp c. 1938

This is Edward Unger's Clamp, of unknown date, made with watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paper. The clamp, a seemingly simple tool, speaks volumes. Its form, a robust U, echoes ancient symbols of enclosure and protection. The screw, a twisting helix, reminds us of the cyclical nature of time, the constant turning and tightening of fate. Consider the carpenter's hands that wielded it. They mirror the hands of the Fates themselves, shaping and holding together the very fabric of our lives. The clamp's pressure, its act of holding fast, evokes the anxieties and constraints that bind us. Yet, within this tension, there is also creation. Just as the alchemists sought to transform base metals into gold, the clamp, too, transforms raw materials into something new, solidifying potential. As an instrument, the clamp transcends utility, becoming a symbol of resilience and the will to create, forever bound to the human spirit.