-Fortune Jackpot Bank- still bank c. mid 20th century

Editor: Here we have the *Fortune Jackpot Bank* still bank, probably made sometime in the mid-20th century, here on display at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Made of metal and described as an assemblage. It feels...optimistically depressing, if that makes sense. What do you make of it? Curator: Oh, I completely understand "optimistically depressing." That's perfect! I feel like it captures that post-war American dream vibe, you know? This shiny little promise of fortune – a miniature slot machine meant to sit on your desk or nightstand, whispering, "Maybe, just maybe, you'll win the moon!" It's almost tragically hilarious, like a tiny monument to the allure of chance and the slim probability of, well, anything good happening! Editor: It also feels a bit... Pop Art, almost? Though much smaller in scale than what I normally think of when it comes to that movement. Curator: Absolutely! The use of readymade objects and the embrace of kitsch firmly place it in that realm. It's not just a bank; it's a commentary on consumer culture, right? The dreams that are sold to us. The way those dreams are packaged—a shiny, enticing facade, with a *slight* possibility you might win a turkey. Do you think it reflects genuine hope or gentle mockery? Or maybe both, swirling together? Editor: Probably both! I hadn't thought about it that way – as a commentary on consumer culture. It's so small, you almost miss that! Thanks! Curator: You know, small objects often shout the loudest. I love the bittersweet tang it leaves. Makes you wonder what that 10 cents could have actually bought, versus the phantom promise it funded, doesn't it?