-No. Safe- still bank c. 1929

Curator: Standing before us is -No. Safe- still bank, an assemblage by E. Stevens, dating back to around 1929. This piece, housed here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, masterfully combines metal and ceramic elements. Editor: Immediately, I feel a melancholic sense of security—like a well-worn childhood toy box, promising safety but bearing the marks of time. There's an aged sweetness here. Curator: The geometry is indeed captivating. The cuboid form of the bank itself, contrasted with the circular door. What do you make of this composition? Editor: Well, the circle, right? It’s a universal symbol of protection. The rust tells its own story—like rings on a tree trunk. The surface isn't simply metal; it’s an archive of moments when dreams and dimes got tossed inside. Curator: Notice how the surface decoration, almost like bas-relief, adds another layer to our interpretation. It integrates both figuration and these repeating geometric motifs across all visible surfaces. Editor: It’s quite dense, visually. As if the artist, in addition to guarding physical wealth, wanted to make the *idea* of wealth very tactile, hard to miss. All that repetitive, compulsive pattern work! Did someone say decorative art? Curator: Yes! That repetition. The artist uses it to create both texture and structure, creating this interplay of geometric forms in the metal casting process. Editor: True! It’s like Stevens made a visual echo chamber. You deposit a thought about financial security, and all these design elements bounce it back, bigger and bolder. I wonder what kids thought back then, trusting their pennies to such an adorned guardian. Curator: I see this more as Stevens attempting to redefine sculpture with industrial aesthetics. How to reconcile craft traditions with mass-production? Editor: Hmm, I lean toward the sentimental side. But isn't that the fun of art? To clash perspectives and come away richer for it. Maybe this bank kept pennies *and* hopes safe. Curator: Indeed. It is precisely the synthesis of varied perspectives that illuminates this assemblage, allowing us to appreciate its multifaceted value. Editor: I couldn’t agree more. This still bank is so much more than the sum of its ceramic and metal parts. It's an emotional repository.