Petticoat c. 1936

Editor: This is Lena Nastasi's "Petticoat," created around 1936, a drawing in ink on paper. It feels so delicate, almost like a technical illustration, but for something very personal. What stories do you think are hidden in these lines, these repeating patterns? Curator: The image brings to mind questions of domesticity and gender roles. In the 1930s, women's lives were still largely defined by their connection to the home, despite the increasing push for suffrage. Garments like petticoats symbolize that space. What do you make of the two separate registers, the garment and then the repeating patterns of lace? Editor: I find it odd they’re separate, almost like studies of texture, not an attempt at representation. Maybe an exploration of craft versus art? Curator: Precisely. Nastasi’s work challenges this dichotomy. It also forces us to ask: who typically does this kind of craft work? What’s her positionality as the artist documenting that labour? Think about race and class dynamics intersecting with gender. Is she an insider to that experience, or an outsider looking in? Editor: That gives me a completely different perspective. Seeing it as a potential commentary on labour makes it so much more powerful than just a pretty drawing. Curator: The political impact of the drawing hinges on the degree to which the image complicates decorative and fine art. I wonder if this drawing seeks to find solidarity between artistry of different social spheres. Editor: That's so interesting! It’s fascinating how much history and social context can be packed into something that looks, at first glance, so simple. Curator: Exactly! It’s in understanding these contexts that the piece truly becomes something greater, offering nuanced narratives.