Shop Sign Key 1935 - 1942

Editor: Here we have Henry Tomaszewski's watercolor and drawing "Shop Sign Key," created sometime between 1935 and 1942. I’m immediately drawn to the starkness of it, and the rather worn quality of the key. What do you see in this piece? Curator: A seemingly simple object, yet the key signifies so much: access, control, knowledge, even liberation. In the context of its creation, pre- and during World War II, what doors do you think Tomaszewski hoped to open or perhaps highlight as being shut? Editor: That's a powerful way to look at it. I hadn't considered the wartime context so explicitly. Maybe it’s a question about who holds the power to open doors, both literally and metaphorically? Curator: Exactly! Think about who has historically held the keys, both physical and societal. Consider gender, class, race... This isn't just an image of a key, but an inquiry into structures of power. How does Tomaszewski's rendering, the muted colors and focus on texture, affect that reading? Editor: I see what you mean. The worn texture almost feels like a commentary on those power structures— suggesting their decay, or perhaps even the struggle to unlock them? I wonder if the choice of medium reflects anything too? Curator: Absolutely, think about the accessibility of watercolor and drawing as artistic forms, in contrast to, say, oil painting which would have likely required more expensive supplies at the time. This deliberate choice perhaps suggests a leaning away from elitist art towards a medium with more directness, doesn’t it? Editor: This makes me rethink my initial reading. I now understand the symbolic depth embedded within a simple object, and the power of art to question social structures. Thank you! Curator: And thank you for helping me to keep things in perspective. Let us always use art as our key, opening doors and seeking new understandings!