Mirror c. 1938

Editor: This is Frank Wenger's "Mirror," likely created around 1938 using watercolors. It’s surprisingly calming for a drawing of a typically ego-centric object. What layers of meaning do you see in it? Curator: I see a piece deeply engaged with the act of self-perception, especially during a time of significant social and political upheaval. Consider the late 1930s – the looming shadow of World War II, the rise of fascism. How might this "mirror" reflect not just an individual's face, but also a society grappling with its own image, its own morality? Editor: That's a powerful idea! I hadn't thought about the broader social context. So, the "mirror" becomes a symbol for societal self-reflection? Curator: Precisely. And it prompts us to ask: Who had the privilege to gaze into such a mirror, to contemplate their own reflection, during such a tumultuous era? How might access to such a seemingly simple object be imbued with social and economic implications? The simplicity, the "calming" effect you noticed, might also be a kind of erasure, a denial of the harsh realities outside its frame. Do you think the artist was consciously making such a statement? Editor: That's definitely something to consider. The choice of watercolor too, feels deliberate—less opulent than oil. Curator: Absolutely. Its ephemerality mirrors the fleeting nature of self-perception and the constant reshaping of identity under social pressure. Think about the way that gender and race also factor into who is allowed to see their true reflection. What do you take away from this discussion? Editor: I will definitely consider not just what an artwork depicts, but what it represents in relation to society and who it represents it *for*. Thanks! Curator: Indeed. It all builds to a deeper engagement with visual culture and its embedded politics.