Rush Light Holder c. 1937

Editor: Here we have Milton Grubstein’s “Rush Light Holder,” a pencil drawing from around 1937. It’s so detailed and precise. I find the composition quite intriguing, almost like an architectural rendering. How do you interpret this work? Curator: The drawing itself serves as an artifact, documenting a now almost-forgotten object. The rush light holder represents a bridge between pre-industrial existence and modernity. Light, in that context, was more than mere illumination. Editor: More like… survival? Curator: Precisely. Before electricity, controlling light meant warding off the darkness, both literal and symbolic. Consider the holder's twisted stem - doesn't it remind you of a serpent or vine, reaching for light? Think of light as knowledge, or hope. Editor: I see what you mean! The twist could also imply fragility and the ephemeral nature of the rush light itself. Curator: Indeed. And the base? Broad and sturdy, resembling roots. It connects us to earth and tradition. What feeling do these root-like images give to you? Editor: The roots provide stability but are somewhat clunky and inelegant. Perhaps mirroring how reliance on old technologies becomes clunky? Curator: An interesting contrast, certainly mirroring technology’s role in time. Do you believe we will feel that about current tools too? Editor: I do. This holder feels quite pertinent today. Curator: Agreed. Thank you. I have learned how our experience informs perception of artifacts of time. Editor: This was enlightening for me, pun intended!