Bishop Hill: Fire Extinguisher c. 1938

Editor: This is Hardin Walsh’s "Bishop Hill: Fire Extinguisher," a watercolor and drawing from around 1938. It has a stark, documentary feel; like an artifact meticulously recorded. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The object itself, rendered so plainly, is a fascinating signifier. Consider its era; 1938, just before the conflagration of the Second World War. An extinguisher, a preventative measure. Editor: So, you’re saying that the extinguisher can symbolize this anxiety about something potentially dangerous. Curator: Precisely. Also, think about Bishop Hill, Illinois, itself; a utopian religious community founded by Swedish immigrants in the 1840s. It eventually dissolved, burdened by internal conflict. An extinguisher wasn't enough. Perhaps Walsh implies a lost idealism. Editor: The more that you analyze it from the cultural context, the more that I can see it in the extinguisher, like a memory preserved. Curator: The image isn't simply of the object itself, but is, in some ways, representative of this anxiety. Can we prevent catastrophe? Is harmony even achievable? Editor: Thinking about it that way gives so much more meaning. It's amazing how much cultural context is stored in this. I won't see such items the same way again. Curator: Every image whispers its secrets if you listen closely. Thanks for walking with me to discover them.