Violin c. 1937

Curator: Augustine Haugland's "Violin," circa 1937, presents an intimate depiction of the instrument rendered in watercolor and drawing. Editor: My first impression is of a muted elegance, the earth tones of the violin stand against a seemingly blank backdrop, creating a quiet, contemplative mood. Curator: Indeed. Consider the social climate of the late 1930s, pre-war anxieties looming. Does this still life offer a moment of solace, perhaps reflecting on art and culture threatened by encroaching conflict? We see a tool of artistic expression depicted in such a delicate medium. Editor: The formal composition is so interesting. The artist’s attention to the violin’s form is precise—observe the curves of the body, the careful rendering of the f-holes. And the light catches the varnished wood so softly. Curator: I wonder, too, about the absence of a musician. Does this objectification raise questions about cultural commodification? And about gender? Was there less space in these artistic fields for female musicians in the late 1930s? The fact it is depicted on a stark blank plane evokes broader social contexts, which ask these and many more pertinent questions. Editor: Perhaps, but equally we could interpret the image in terms of its semiotic features, and the relationship between signifier and signified. Haugland invites us to examine not just the subject matter but the language of art itself – what the drawing does, and how it prompts thought and interpretation. Curator: What is compelling here, for me, is the artist's intersectional perspective on culture, even subtly questioning the socio-political environment. Editor: For me it is a superb demonstration of line and tone. It invites one to regard the depicted subject and ponder its shape and composition. Curator: "Violin" encapsulates cultural tension using a domestic item. Editor: And what a magnificent exercise in formalism!