Wall Paper c. 1937

Curator: Here we have Paul Farkas’ "Wall Paper," created around 1937. The piece combines drawing and mixed-media techniques on paper, resulting in a lovely, repetitive pattern. What's your initial impression? Editor: Well, it’s calming, isn’t it? Like a faded memory. It’s… pink. That muted rose pink gives the entire composition a nostalgic feel, almost like a vintage postcard. And the scale, it feels quite intimate, doesn't it? Curator: Intimate is a good word. Thinking about the materials and the period, the process interests me. This would likely have been a design intended for mass production – transforming hand-drawn art into repeatable rolls using industrial methods. How do we value the artist's labor in designing for something so commonplace, so utilitarian? Editor: You’re right. This wasn't meant to be ‘art’ in the capital-A sense, but design for the everyday. I love thinking about how this design could’ve been used. I envision this paper adorning a cozy bedroom or a quaint dining nook. And those shapes, are they stylized flowers, bursting fireworks, or stars? It’s a delightful ambiguity. The choice of colour also feels purposeful in creating that warm and soothing feeling, I also think of the social context, and how patterns can become symbols of identity and domestic life. Curator: It prompts you to think about labor but is equally compelling when thought of in the realm of domestic craft; the materials were chosen for the time. Imagine the person pasting this to the wall – the repetitive act of application, the sheer time it would take, would allow them to find beauty within repetition in design, a meditative moment that reveals a dedication to process. Editor: Absolutely, the pattern itself reinforces the act of labor, doesn’t it? Each element echoes another in material and creation, contributing to the whole – in its geometric consistency it feels like it lacks in depth and surprise, perhaps making the labour involved invisible. In a world increasingly obsessed with uniqueness, Farkas reminds us that true beauty often lies in simplicity. Curator: Yes! This ‘Wall Paper’ speaks volumes about beauty. Perhaps it is found in labour itself. I walk away with a renewed appreciation for the beauty hidden in the practical. Editor: Me too, and for the poetry in a repeating pattern. Thanks for showing me that it isn’t just pink!