Candlestick c. 1936

Curator: Here we have John Dana’s pencil drawing, “Candlestick,” created around 1936. It presents a rather detailed rendering of, well, a candlestick. Editor: My first thought is how unexpectedly cold it feels, given the subject matter. The geometric forms and muted palette definitely suppress any sense of warmth or flickering candlelight. Curator: Yes, and those crisp, hard lines, all rendered meticulously in pencil, amplify the coolness. Light, in its absence. Light depicted is only reflected in the body of the object, which gives it this ethereal look of the glass. There is almost something austere about it. A symbol of the church or perhaps of the holy flame and all the virtues connected with the subject of fire? Editor: Precisely! It's interesting to note how the octagonal base disrupts what would otherwise be strictly circular forms above. This contrast is actually crucial. The lines generate depth, producing the illusion of transparency as the play of light across its geometric planes catches the eye. Dana shows incredible aptitude portraying volume. Curator: The transparency surely makes the symbol feel very fragile, as if ready to shatter or brake into tiny pieces at any moment. It contrasts with what a candlestick represents on a psychological level. I believe in its austere way the artist alludes to vulnerability of certain ideas and believes. Editor: In breaking it down, the image reveals a structural clarity of its cylindrical design that's quite compelling. I appreciate that in representing form in this style and medium, Dana emphasizes that geometrical precision underlies the concept itself and that by stripping that context, there may be an appreciation of clarity and light to it all. Curator: I agree. A candlestick, in most times, holds sentimental value, and Dana delivers on this feeling by choosing pencil drawing that reflects its fragile significance as a light holder, not necessarily a bearer. Editor: Ultimately, Dana’s work gives pause to consider something that’s commonly and frequently overlooked as to appreciate simplicity that makes it whole. Curator: Beautifully stated. I have similar impressions too. And for me, its stripped form becomes representative of something new—yet reminiscent of something archaic, ancient.