Figurehead 1935 - 1942

Editor: This is Nicholas Amantea’s "Figurehead," dating from 1935 to 1942. It's rendered with colored pencils, portraying what seems to be a wooden sculpture, quite detailed and aged. There is a melancholic air about her. What is your interpretation of this piece? Curator: Well, immediately I am drawn to the historical context of its creation, 1935-1942. Considering this period, right before and during World War II, the "Figurehead" takes on a profound resonance. Figureheads were traditionally symbols of protection and guidance on ships, weren’t they? But rendered here in what looks like a colored pencil drawing rather than a functional sculpture, what does that shift in medium signify? Editor: Perhaps a shift away from function and more toward… memory? Nostalgia? Curator: Precisely. There's an undeniable fragility in the medium itself, a departure from the robust wooden carvings meant to withstand oceanic voyages. Look closely – does the evident weathering and decay suggest a critique of idealized leadership? Could this also address concepts such as cultural loss, colonial histories and their impacts on marginalized people and places? Editor: That’s insightful. It makes me reconsider my initial perception. What looked like simple decay now seems deliberately suggestive, layered with meaning about time, power, and perhaps even resilience in the face of devastation. Curator: It certainly moves beyond just a realistic portrait. The choice to represent the sculpture as aged introduces a dialogue on the passage of time and decay. It prompts reflection on what endures versus what fades away. Can the artist be challenging conventional gender roles of female figures as symbolic representations? What purpose did this serve and is he suggesting a modern interpretation of women and the sea? Editor: This conversation reframes my initial impression entirely. What I took to be simple representation reveals nuanced commentary on history, power and femininity. Thanks! Curator: It is my pleasure. Examining the intersectionality of social context, material and technique can really elevate our interpretation and relationship with art!