Spread Eagle Relief 1935 - 1942

Curator: Immediately I'm struck by the almost austere presentation of a powerful symbol. There's a definite sense of control. Editor: We’re looking at "Spread Eagle Relief," crafted between 1935 and 1942. The work is rendered using a combination of techniques, incorporating wood carving, tempera, mixed media, drawing and relief. Curator: The choice of material is really interesting here. Working with wood connects to a long lineage of craft, but the carving elevates it. How do you see the mixed media aspect playing out? Is there an element of industrial production here that’s trying to soften some of the folk-art qualities? Editor: The application of tempera provides colour but it doesn’t entirely conceal the grain of the wood, offering an element of texture, contrasting with the rigidity typically associated with relief carvings, perhaps democratizing the art object. It also reflects a visual tension of this era, where handmade and manufactured goods met in a society shaped by machine manufacturing and a continued sense of craftsmanship. Curator: It almost feels contradictory, doesn't it? An accessible medium conveying what became quite a potent national symbol, in this case the eagle. Were these types of folk-art depictions widely disseminated at the time? How did this imagery function politically? Editor: Exactly, during the 30's and 40's, depictions of national symbols were often promoted through public works programs and readily adopted in commercial products; their visibility reinforced patriotic sentiments during times of crisis such as The Great Depression and lead up to WW2. It represents how symbols function within cultural contexts, where art served a vital public role in shaping collective identity and purpose. Curator: So even an ostensibly simple craftwork operates within quite a complex socio-political landscape. Thinking about that balance, it is a compelling reflection on both craft and history. Editor: It prompts one to really think about how materials, methods, and meaning all converge, giving simple objects historical power.