Fireback c. 1942

This Fireback was made in 1767, presumably with cast iron, in New York. The process involved in making this piece is very tactile, and you can clearly see the artist's hand in its creation. I love how tactile this piece is; it has so much texture. Look at the little snake details at the top, the foliage on the edges, and the strange little flowers. It seems like the artist took real delight in repeating these small motifs, like they were a kind of mantra. It also reminds me that art is not just visual, it is embodied. What’s interesting here is the idea of art for the fireplace, something functional but also visually symbolic. This is how art crosses into life, it's not precious, but part of daily living. The German artist, Kurt Schwitters, springs to mind, who blurred the boundaries between art and life in his collages. It reminds me that art is an ongoing conversation, an exchange of ideas that never stops.