Andiron c. 1939

Herman Bader made this artwork "Andiron," and it's this fascinating monochrome, like a memory fading in and out. You know, sometimes I think about the moment an artist decides what to depict – how they wrestle with the object until it finally gives itself up to the page. I wonder what Bader was thinking about, sitting there, his gaze fixed on this object, maybe in a dimly lit room with sunlight streaming through the window. He coaxes lines and values out of a stark white ground, a solid form emerging through the application of graphite. Look at the lines he uses to define the statue’s drapery. Each stroke seems to carry its own weight and intention, building the form. This piece makes me think about Vija Celmins and her obsessive depictions of everyday objects. Artists—we're always in conversation with each other, riffing on themes and ideas from the past, trying to make sense of things. In the end, it’s not just about the thing itself, but about how the artist's marks change the way we see and experience the world.