Memory Stairs 1936 - 1937

Curator: Vera Andrus created this drawing titled "Memory Stairs" between 1936 and 1937, primarily using pencil. What stands out to you initially about it? Editor: Well, there's this somber, almost haunted atmosphere. The stark contrast of light and shadow...it feels like stepping into a silent film, or maybe an attic I explored once. Curator: It's a striking print. Looking closer, one can see Andrus employs a high degree of realism, especially in the geometric precision of the staircase and the detail on the railings. What do you make of the overall composition? Editor: It is undeniably structured. All these precise geometric elements and the clear depiction of form draw the eye right into the space. Yet there's that surreal quality from the light behind the wavy curtains and what looks like an open door to nothing. Is that freedom, or simply lack of awareness? Curator: I like that observation. Her play with light creates these intriguing spaces—it almost guides us upwards while holding us in place simultaneously. And the medium, pencil, enhances the depth through nuanced shading. But look also how the banisters curve: what could it represent? Editor: Banisters curve—spirals... a journey inward maybe? Staircases are often metaphors for transitions. Is Andrus hinting at some deeply held experience being confronted at each level? Maybe that doorway promises the clarity that’s just beyond grasp... I also love the intimacy gained from it being a print. Do you think she produced it from real life or imagination? Curator: That’s an astute interpretation, particularly given the era. During the late '30s, many artists used realism and domestic spaces to address psychological states during economic uncertainty. Whether from life or from imagination, there’s such precision and artistic exploration, isn't it? I'm captivated by this staircase. Editor: Yes. A lot of her spirit is on display through that banister; Andrus somehow evokes a memory through realism itself, or its deconstruction.