Two Drawer Stand c. 1936

Curator: This pencil drawing, entitled "Two Drawer Stand," was created by Edith Magnette around 1936. There’s such delicate detail in the depiction of the wood grain. What strikes you first about it? Editor: Well, it’s quiet, isn’t it? Austere, almost. The light, even tone evokes a sense of calm domesticity, like an exercise in rendering everyday life worthy of artistic contemplation amidst times of significant social change. Curator: Yes, exactly! Look at the craftsmanship evident in the turned legs and the smoothly rendered drawer pulls. This focus elevates what might be considered a mundane object to the level of fine art, demanding that we appreciate the skills involved in the design and execution. Editor: And it also compels us to question what that elevation actually achieves. During the Depression Era, who has the luxury to contemplate artistry when issues like class inequality, labor exploitation, and unequal gendered divisions are paramount? Is this a commentary, a distraction, or perhaps an idealized rendering of “better” times gone by? Curator: Interesting. One could argue it’s a celebration of material culture accessible to a wider populace. We see this kind of craftsmanship valued across different socio-economic strata. The functionality combined with a degree of refinement—it's not just art for art's sake. It emphasizes utility, manufacture, the work and means that go into daily life. Editor: True, but even utility comes with baggage. A drawer stand offers storage, safety. What is being hidden? What memories, fears, objects does it protect, and whose stories are privileged while others are not? Curator: So, even in its apparent simplicity, Magnette's "Two Drawer Stand" is a potent invitation to think about making and meaning. Editor: Indeed. This seemingly ordinary object, now seen through a variety of theoretical lenses, raises critical questions about access, labor, and who controls the narrative of everyday life.