Churn c. 1936

Editor: So, here we have Yolande Delasser's "Churn," a watercolor and drawing from around 1936. The composition really strikes me—it feels so intentionally sparse, almost diagrammatic. How would you interpret this piece through a formal lens? Curator: Note the tension created by the positioning of the jar versus the floral elements. The former seems flattened and slightly distorted at the top, lacking convincing three-dimensionality. What purpose might this serve? Editor: Hmm, maybe to emphasize the flatness of the picture plane itself? And now that I look more closely, the flowers seem to both mimic and break free from the jar's painted decoration. They have a life of their own! Curator: Precisely! See how the artist employs a limited palette of blues to unite the forms. Delasser subverts our expectations of depth, almost collapsing foreground and background. Do you see any echoes of cubist flattening in her handling of space? Editor: I do see it now, the overlapping and near superimposition flattens space to call attention to the very essence of what represents flowers or jars. But what's most interesting is the dialogue between the representational vase at the top of the picture and the loose almost organic rendition below, playing almost as an instruction manual on “how to churn." Curator: Indeed, this prompts us to question the nature of representation itself, its constructed nature versus lived experience. Editor: Thinking about it formally really helps unlock those layers of meaning. It shifts the focus away from just seeing a pretty picture to actively deconstructing it. Curator: A close reading of its formal elements reveals the sophisticated visual dialogue Delasser has created. Editor: I'll definitely carry this approach with me when I see more art!