Mission Chant c. 1936

Editor: So this is Ann Gene Buckley's "Mission Chant," dating back to around 1936. It looks like ink and watercolor on paper. There's something about the neat, geometric calligraphy that’s quite beautiful, almost like looking at a carefully woven tapestry. What do you see in this piece? Curator: What a fascinating find! The neatness you mention, the way each section feels self-contained, it reminds me of medieval illuminated manuscripts—those little worlds held within pages. It’s as though Buckley's inviting us into a space where visual art meets the sacred sound, where calligraphy sings! Doesn’t the use of red make certain passages feel weightier, like whispers turned shouts? Editor: Absolutely! It highlights certain words and those little ornamented initials. It almost feels like she's created her own kind of secret code, a visual song that only certain eyes and ears could interpret, a sacred visuality. What's she chanting about? Curator: Ah, that's where it gets interesting! She could be looking at her roots to re-think modern music or sacred life and its place in modernity and consumer culture. Consider what chants even accomplish and whether there could be any sense in such repetitive acts. The work could therefore also be about re-thinking what art does, its capacity. Editor: Wow, I never considered the piece in light of those points. It definitely takes the geometricity to new heights now! Curator: Right? Sometimes the smallest pieces hold the largest worlds! I suppose the piece ultimately reflects a deeply internal musical quest of some kind! Editor: I’ll definitely look at Buckley’s work in a new light from now on! Thanks!