The Mill Cat 1968

Editor: Here we have Ken Danby’s 1968 piece, "The Mill Cat", created with pencil and charcoal, maybe even a touch of pastel. I find myself drawn to the contrast between the soft fur of the cat and the rough texture of the grain sacks. What strikes you about it? Curator: Immediately, I’m thinking about the means of production, literally. These aren’t just bags; they're heavy sacks of milled grain, products of agricultural labor. The cat on top represents a complicated intersection of nature, labor and domesticity. Does its presence elevate the status of labor or simply indicate its control? Editor: Interesting. So, it's not just about the realistic style or the cat itself, but more about what those bags signify? Curator: Precisely! The texture achieved with the drawing techniques is mimicking, on paper, the intense labor suggested. Danby makes a statement here, almost a demand for the viewer to acknowledge the raw, tangible qualities of grain production and our dependence on it, no matter how romantic or commonplace it may seem. Does the cat, then, appear relaxed because it is at the literal top of the hierarchy of labor, a kind of trophy? Or does it emphasize the relentless fatigue in the worker and the need to "rest" and protect itself with these material products? Editor: I never thought of it that way. It changes my understanding of the whole composition. I’m no longer just seeing a cat napping, I'm seeing a whole network of connections. Curator: And the role of art, here, as highlighting that material network. Editor: Right. Thanks for showing me that "The Mill Cat" isn't just a still life, it's an insight into 1960's production.