Extra 1939

Editor: This is "Extra," a graphite drawing from 1939 by Leonard M. Havens. It's a really dynamic image of a newspaper boy, but something about the perspective feels...warped, almost dreamlike. What’s your read on it? Curator: You're spot on about that warped quality; it reminds me of stepping into a memory, slightly surreal. Havens was working within the Ashcan School tradition, known for its gritty realism and scenes of everyday life. But he's twisting it, isn't he? He isn’t just documenting reality; he’s bending it to emphasize, what do you think, perhaps the frenetic energy of the newsboy? The urgency of "Extra! Extra! Read all about it!" shouts? Editor: Definitely! The exaggerated pose and the "Keep Off" sign…it’s like a kid’s forbidden adventure blown out of proportion. Curator: Exactly! He's also playing with space and perspective. The newsboy looms large, dominating the frame, almost bursting out of it – a far cry from the humble, perhaps overlooked, news vendor of the time. This seemingly simple drawing becomes a symbol, wouldn't you agree, of a boy's ambitions, his escape? His "extra"ordinary self bursting through confines of expectations, place, and purpose. And he gets paid to yell the news. What more could an artist ask? Editor: That’s a great point – I hadn't thought about it that way. The warped perspective emphasizes his importance rather than diminishes it. Curator: Precisely! Sometimes, it’s the bend in reality that reveals the most poignant truth. Editor: I'll definitely remember to look for the bend! Curator: Happy hunting for "bends". Happy art seeing!