Handball Players 1928

Editor: This is "Handball Players" by Louis Schanker, made in 1928. It looks like a drawing, done with pen and graphite on paper. I'm immediately drawn to the cubist style and the depiction of what seems like a cityscape. It has this very industrial, almost gritty feel. What stands out to you about it? Curator: I’m immediately interested in the artist’s choice of pen and graphite. What kind of labor goes into such a work? Drawing isn’t always seen as “high art” compared to painting or sculpture. The use of pen and ink connects the artwork to reproduction; is it a study for a print perhaps? Consider also the social context of 1928. The image seems to depict leisure, sports. Yet who has access to leisure and these public spaces during this time period, and how is access stratified? Editor: That's interesting – thinking about it as potentially preparatory for a print and therefore, possibly, mass consumption. And you're right, the seemingly carefree depiction contrasts with the social realities of the time. Do you think the artist was making a commentary, or just reflecting the world around them? Curator: I think it's more nuanced than either/or. Look closely at the geometric shapes; the flattened perspective emphasizes the constructed nature of the urban landscape. The artist is using these materials and forms to make sense of a rapidly changing society. Consider the "means of production." What are the means of recreation in the drawing? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. So you’re suggesting Schanker used his art not just to reflect society but to question its structure? Curator: Exactly. And by looking at the materials and the act of creating the artwork, we gain insights into how such meanings were made, literally. It really calls into question traditional ideas around art and craftsmanship. Editor: I learned so much! The materiality is really key. Curator: Indeed. Focusing on material conditions can drastically change how we look at an image like this, revealing socio-political concerns.