Fireback c. 1937

Curator: Here we have Frances Lichten’s “Fireback,” a drawing from around 1937 rendered in graphite. My initial reaction is it evokes the solidity and detail you'd find in cast iron work. What catches your eye, Editor? Editor: There's a wonderful feeling of layered density, all those fronds upon fronds! It has a lovely formality that is softened by what I imagine the casting process would entail. I imagine the grit of the metal juxtaposed to the precision of this graphite drawing. It feels so solid yet ethereal at the same time. Curator: Lichten appears to have been meticulous, note the dedication in capturing the form's intricacies through a focus on line and geometrical accuracy, whilst making visible what she denotes in writing below the plate to be, “cast iron fire place back.” I wonder how she positioned herself in relation to this "craft". Editor: Interesting question! Looking at this drawing, the relationship between art and function really blurs, doesn't it? It almost looks like a technical blueprint – precise measurements along the bottom, yes? - but then rendered with such an artist's touch. Did Lichten perhaps elevate this humble material, the ironwork fireback, to a more “precious” art? Curator: It makes you wonder about access. A fireplace and the decorative back become both material goods and sources of leisure, dependant on resources such as metal. Moreover, we might note that she may also be working at the time the federal arts programs, especially those funded under the WPA, were in full swing, supporting a redefinition of artist practices and creating different avenues for arts funding. It complicates things. Editor: Absolutely! This work has certainly given me a new appreciation for both craft and draughtsmanship, not to mention opening a little portal back into that era. A fireplace is as much an idea as it is something physical. Curator: Yes, this investigation shows that seemingly quotidian things often hold fascinating stories and complex value. It encourages me to seek out the hidden depths in our surroundings and everyday existences.