Model of a Dry Dock c. 1778

Editor: This wooden sculpture is called "Model of a Dry Dock," dating back to around 1778, and the artist is anonymous. The sculpture really strikes me; it’s so detailed and precise. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It’s tempting to see it simply as a technical model, but let's consider its social and political context. This dry dock would have been crucial for maintaining warships. Can we unpack the artist’s intentions? What kinds of naval power did ship maintenance make possible? How was naval power tied to colonial projects? Editor: So, it's not just about engineering. It’s connected to bigger questions of power? Curator: Exactly. Naval strength ensured maritime dominance that was also connected with global commerce, colonialism, and systems of slavery, think of triangular trade or other routes for the circulation of enslaved peoples and colonial goods. This sculpture invites a deeper examination of the maritime economy and the social injustices connected with it. Whose labor constructed those ships? Who was made vulnerable through imperial expansion via the seas? Editor: That gives me a completely different perspective. It's not just a static model. Curator: No, it’s a three-dimensional representation of the convergence of innovation, labor, and historical inequity. Look closer – what details reveal most to you? Editor: Now I see it almost as a memorial… representing a history that’s often glossed over in celebration of technological progress. It makes me think about whose stories get centered and whose get erased. Curator: Precisely. This piece offers space to critically reflect on historical legacies, asking who benefitted, who bore the burden, and how such stories resonate today. Editor: I learned a lot. It’s helped me appreciate how art, even something that appears technical, can reveal so much about society and politics. Curator: Indeed, approaching it with an open, inquisitive, and critical mind is essential to uncover complex narratives embedded in even seemingly simple objects.