Buckles c. 1936

John Dieterich made this drawing of buckles with graphite on paper, but we don't know exactly when. I'm drawn to the way he focuses on everyday objects, really looking at them, trying to figure them out. The thing about a drawing like this is how immediate it feels. The lines are tentative, like he's thinking through the object right in front of us. The graphite gives it a silvery sheen, like the buckles themselves are glowing. Look at the different angles he uses – it's like he's turning the buckle over and over in his hand, trying to understand its form from every side. Dieterich’s approach reminds me a little of some of the work of Vija Celmins, who also elevated ordinary objects through careful and considered observation. There's something about that quiet focus that invites us to slow down and really see the world around us, too. Isn’t it funny how art can make you look at something totally mundane in a completely new way?