Bowl c. 1936

Curator: Welcome! Before us, we have Roberta Elvis’s drawing titled “Bowl,” created around 1936. It is a pencil drawing, showcasing both the object and some of its potential design elements. Editor: I’m immediately struck by its ghostly quality, that pale, almost ethereal rendering. It feels like a memory of a bowl, rather than the bowl itself. It looks as though light shimmers and passes through it, and reminds me of the delicate glass artifacts that we keep in memory cases. Curator: Absolutely. The very medium used—pencil—lends itself to that fleeting impression. It brings to mind traditional craft, design sketches for decorative glasswork with all the layered symbols embedded in it, hinting to an archaic, Hellenic narrative with the laurel details. Editor: It makes me think about who would have used such a bowl, especially considering the period. A design like this speaks to ideas of refinement, even luxury, which was likely complicated, considering the economic realities of the mid-1930s in the wake of the Great Depression. Perhaps the figures relate to power structures from antiquity that continue to hold weight even today. Curator: Quite possibly. And consider that those enclosed figures become almost talismanic. By surrounding everyday objects, they create a protective psychic barrier. They act as symbolic gatekeepers to another cultural stratum, preserving that aesthetic integrity for those privileged enough to perceive it. Editor: I also can't help but wonder about the artist’s process, using preliminary sketches that are separate from the main figure, in order to create a feeling that is almost diagrammatic in nature. It’s intriguing, like seeing the bowl’s DNA being mapped out, as Elvis offers possible alterations and adjustments. Almost like blueprints for privilege itself. Curator: Interesting perspective. It does suggest an evolution of an idea, almost like layers of meaning gradually revealed. Each encircled figure on the sheet is carefully rendered, holding its unique identity, until all finally materialize in one vision on this beautifully ornamented artifact. Editor: For me, it highlights the ways even simple objects can hold complex histories and social values. It is an almost mundane design of something, imbued with a quiet resistance. Curator: For me, this unassuming artwork carries layered histories and resonates as an artifact to behold in light of our culture. Editor: Absolutely, it is more than meets the eye!