Silver Bowl c. 1936

Curator: Immediately, I get a sense of poised, understated elegance. The shading, the symmetry, even the empty interior seems full of restrained possibility. Editor: That's interesting, I was immediately drawn to the means of representing what I take to be an artifact. This is Michael Fenga’s pencil drawing titled "Silver Bowl," dating from around 1936. And you are right about symmetry – Fenga uses a sharp, realistic approach here that lends it a classical vibe. Curator: Yes, classic is a good word. I almost imagine a Roman emperor reaching for it, or maybe something more humble, like flowers collected from the garden, resting inside this object. Editor: Note the attention Fenga gives to capturing the luster and volume through light pencil strokes. This is more than a still life – it also could serve as design drawing, or simply a meditation on materiality. After all, what does ‘silver’ mean, not only to those in power but also to laborers working on mining and smelting? Curator: You're right; there's labor implicit in every object. For me, this goes to an even deeper question about the purpose of objects, whether designed for necessity, wealth, status, or beauty... What does it mean that someone once labored to produce beauty? What sort of reverence should we carry as its recipients? Editor: Speaking of its purpose, notice how a miniature version of the very same drawing sits just underneath! Here Fenga may be illustrating the bowl in real scale in order to represent all features of its complex construction. Curator: Indeed, as you say, it feels like a working diagram too. Almost like Fenga is showing us a method to think or a strategy of observation rather than just documenting an object. Editor: Absolutely! It serves both artistic and practical aims—making it difficult to confine it neatly into drawing, design, or craft alone. Ultimately, this exercise broadens our own approach to viewing everyday life, as well as things around it. Curator: You're right. Suddenly this image has widened my own thoughts to many paths and roads. I guess in this little dance with our eyes is beauty. Thank you!