Fence c. 1936

Curator: Here we have Florence Huston's "Fence," a graphite drawing from around 1936. It strikes me as an unusually formal depiction of a rather utilitarian object. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: Stark. The composition's grid emphasizes line and a sort of constrained space. I can't help but see this rigid geometry as symbolic, perhaps reflective of the period. Curator: I'm fascinated by how Huston elevates what is essentially wrought ironwork to the level of high art through close observation and skilled rendering in graphite. Metalwork during the 30s, often WPA-funded, provided work but also served civic beautification purposes, didn’t it? Editor: Absolutely. But let’s think about the visual language at play. The stylized, almost heraldic, center design– those abstracted fleur-de-lis shapes radiating from a central point – evoke themes of protection, perhaps family, home, and a sense of ordered civilization in a chaotic world. Curator: The meticulous detailing—the spiraling texture on one of the vertical supports, for example—draws attention to the craftsmanship, to the very process of creation, the labor embedded in shaping metal. The visual style echoes the streamlining aesthetic pervasive during the Machine Age, which saw designers simplifying forms and experimenting with industrial materials to produce more visually pleasing designs. Editor: And what of the choice of a fence as subject? Fences define boundaries, establish ownership, they create an inside and an outside, the protected versus the exposed. Maybe Huston's choice reveals some deep sense of yearning for stability, or maybe, a subtle form of societal critique of separation. Curator: That's a very persuasive reading. The image may resonate even more poignantly in our present circumstances. It underscores the idea that even the most commonplace objects hold layers of meaning when considered from diverse perspectives. Editor: Indeed, there is far more than meets the eye within this somewhat quiet depiction. I can't look at fences the same way now.