Cattle Brand c. 1936

Curator: Oh, this gives me a little jolt, a sort of electric, minimalist… energy. It’s so stark, so bold. I immediately want to imprint it somewhere – a bookplate, a… temporary tattoo? Editor: Indeed! What we’re looking at is a drawing entitled *Cattle Brand*, dating from around 1936, by J. Henry Marley. It presents a starkly rendered geometric shape in thick, solid lines. Curator: Ah, so that explains the branding iron suggestion my subconscious coughed up. You can see that life playing out in this minimalist design. What do you think, editor, did a rancher approach him? Was it like getting a custom logo today? Editor: It’s compelling to think about this artwork in that context – considering the commission, how brands came to represent families and their holdings in a very material way. There’s also the history of Indigenous land rights involved in these brands. Curator: Land is power, right? To call it "brand" today is so funny given its origins, so utterly separate from a marketing department somewhere churning out designs for yogurt! Tell me a little bit about Marley himself? Did he leave behind an entire bestiary, a sketchbook of searing emblems? Editor: Not precisely. While Marley isn't widely known, he seems to have explored similar themes of rural life and perhaps the iconography tied to it. We see these sorts of explorations happening particularly within regional art programs of the time, attempting to represent the vastness of the American experience during that era. Curator: There is an honesty here. In its simplicity. A visual and visceral impact far greater than you might assume at first glance. Editor: It makes us think about what gives an image power and lasting cultural significance, doesn’t it? The land, labor, ownership. And then how artistic rendering makes something very practical iconic. Curator: Absolutely, the line between art and utilitarian symbol completely disappears, giving way to something potent. Something lasting.