Spur c. 1936

Gerald Transpota made this painting of a spur. The colour palette is muted, naturalistic, rendered in thin glazes of paint that create a sense of depth and volume. I can imagine Transpota working on this piece, carefully building up layers of color to capture the metallic sheen and intricate details of the spur. He must have been thinking about the object, its history, its function. Perhaps Transpota wanted to elevate a utilitarian object to the level of fine art. Or maybe he was just fascinated by the way light plays across its surface. The details of the spurs give it an undeniable presence. It's solid, weighty. Transpota's painting reminds me of other artists who have found beauty in the everyday. Think of the still life paintings of Chardin or Morandi, or the photographs of Walker Evans. These artists remind us that art can be found anywhere if we only take the time to look. It's like they're all in conversation with each other, exchanging ideas and inspiring new ways of seeing.