Clock Reel c. 1938

Editor: This is Frank Eiseman’s "Clock Reel," made around 1938. It's a watercolour drawing of a rather peculiar looking contraption, almost steampunk in its feel. There’s something quite static about it though, despite its potential for movement. What do you see in this piece, what story does it tell you? Curator: Ah, the quiet dignity of the everyday! I see in this clock reel a poem to usefulness, to the beauty inherent in simple function. Isn't it interesting how Eiseman isolates it, floating on the page? There's a gentle humour here, a slight elevation of the mundane to the monumental, almost as if he is making a joke for only the cleverest person to get. Does that chime with your impressions at all? Editor: Absolutely! I like how you see the humour in it. It makes me wonder if it’s a comment on the machine age, a nostalgic nod to handcrafts in a time of mass production. Curator: Perhaps, but I wonder if there's also a personal element? Maybe he once had an item just like this sitting in the background as he drew, almost a part of his own furniture... Think how an artist builds an affinity for items, it becomes imbued with significance, doesn't it? We imbue inanimate objects with the warmth and familiarity of life! Editor: That's a lovely thought! It reframes the artwork for me, making it less about industrial commentary and more about intimate memory. It could easily have been his dad’s device or mum's or wife's item; what you say is right! Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. Always look beyond the obvious, darling; the soul of art hides in the unexpected corners. You should buy an item just like this and keep it in your hall of memories too!