Clock c. 1935

Curator: Well, here's a curious one. We're looking at "Clock," a drawing in colored pencil by Nicholas Gorid, dating to around 1935. Editor: Time is on my mind all the time, isn’t it for everyone? I think Gorid is a perfect example of all artists: the clock itself makes me think of how so many pieces end up incomplete... waiting on life circumstances to shift, and that perfect opportunity, until we can get back and refine that drawing. Curator: The use of colored pencil here, in an academic style, really focuses attention on detail and realism. It’s interesting how a humble object can carry so much cultural weight. Clocks are so ubiquitous, yet this piece feels formal, traditional…almost an artifact. What do you read in this rendering? Editor: The clock has a quiet, solid presence, wouldn't you agree? There's something very still and…dare I say…stately about the execution, the meticulous linework, as if he is memorializing more than just a timepiece. Almost as if someone, or something, were on the verge of expiring... I know that's a heavy interpretation. What I see is patience – each hatch carefully placed, that's how memory feels. Curator: That patience is definitely evident. Looking at it through the lens of cultural memory, these grandfather clocks stood as symbols of status, domestic harmony, and generational continuity. Gorid captured a bygone era where objects held such profound social significance. Its symbolism would vary across cultures and subcultures, so what meanings were layered into such depictions depends. Editor: It definitely does! We impose cultural frameworks, don’t we? But even without all that baggage of status, or time, the work still has a lot of charm. What about the composition? I see its vertical presence dominating its temporal space... and so on. Curator: Its presence is an anchor to tradition and heritage, doesn’t it strike you that way? A grounding effect amidst fleeting moments? It also captures the beauty and symbolism found in everyday items and how they reflect cultural narratives. Thanks for sharing that emotional perspective, its richness reveals a more comprehensive glimpse of that era. Editor: My pleasure. Always a reminder of how something very concrete in a colored pencil artwork can have a wide field of meanings!