Stoneware Crock c. 1936

Editor: This is Fred Weiss's "Stoneware Crock," made around 1936, rendered in ceramic, watercolor, and earthenware. There's a humble simplicity to the object, a muted palette. What draws your eye in this piece? Curator: This humble stoneware crock is deceptive in its simplicity. While aesthetically pleasing, objects like these are loaded with cultural information and socio-economic implications, especially when considering its date. How does the depicted craft object relate to the dominant artistic discourses of its time, like, say, the rise of abstract expressionism, and where do you place the importance of such craft making practices in today's fine art world? Editor: That's a good question. The simplicity seems intentional, maybe even a statement against more elaborate artistic trends? What kind of statement? Curator: Perhaps about value. Consider the context: 1936, the Great Depression is ongoing. Is there something about this vessel’s utility, its very “ordinariness” which speaks to the artistic movements which championed a return to basics, a valuing of what is often devalued by institutions? Where do we see that thread picked up again and how? Editor: So you see this as a quiet form of resistance, or at least a comment on economic conditions? The handmade nature as a counterpoint to mass production? Curator: Precisely! And let's not overlook the gendered dimensions. Craftwork like this was often relegated to women, or at least considered to be domestic. How does that inform your understanding? Editor: Wow, I never thought about it that way. So much more to unpack here than just a simple crock! Curator: Exactly. Seeing art as interwoven with our social fabric can open unexpected and profound understandings.