Skirt c. 1937

Curator: Here we have Lillian Causey’s "Skirt," likely created around 1937 using pencil on paper. A simple enough subject, one might think. Editor: But not so simple. I’m struck by how meticulously the folds are rendered; you can almost feel the texture of the fabric through the varied pressure of the pencil strokes. It feels rather monumental despite its subject matter. Curator: Indeed, there’s a curious tension. The object itself is rather quotidian, a garment, something functional. However, the execution elevates it. The tight rendering and focus pull the eye. Consider the geometry; the piece plays with vertical and curvilinear patterns. Semiotically, the repetition of form denotes a pattern, not simply in dressmaking but a structure of viewing. Editor: I'm intrigued by what appears to be quilting at the bottom of the skirt. It brings to mind the history of needlework and textiles as a primarily female art form. The care that went into this rendering echoes the care of someone meticulously constructing this garment. I wonder if Causey herself was a seamstress or had experience with dressmaking. Was it common for garments such as this to have heavy quiltwork detail around this period? What social sphere did it circulate within? Curator: That opens interesting lines of inquiry. I'm caught on its shape; it lacks true representation of three-dimensional depth—it's more symbolic than literal. The artist presents us not with how it wears but with the idea *of* the skirt. There's this constant reminder of line and texture. Editor: It’s more than just the idea, I think. Looking closely, it is obvious that the weight and feel of the textile have influenced the sketch as well. From the labor implied, its craft is being explored as much as it is being represented, not simply standing in as 'symbolic' alone. Curator: You’ve given me a lot to consider in how it might negotiate those different artistic readings. It brings complexity to an otherwise simple-seeming sketch. Editor: Absolutely, these material investigations open up conversations, reinterpreting even seemingly simple pencil works, to find greater depth.