Ornamental Carving: Eagle c. 1940

Editor: This is Frances Cohen's "Ornamental Carving: Eagle" from around 1940, made with coloured pencils. It feels both delicate and declarative, like a memento from a specific moment in time. What symbols or deeper meanings do you see in this piece? Curator: The eagle, a symbol deeply interwoven with power and freedom, seems to strain under the weight of the banner: "Remember the Maine." What feelings does that provoke? Editor: It brings up this sense of charged, patriotic remembrance. It’s more than just decorative, right? Curator: Absolutely. "Remember the Maine" was a battle cry connected to the sinking of the USS Maine, an event loaded with accusations and igniting the Spanish-American War. It is emblazoned on a symbol representing, simultaneously, American resilience, a cry for retribution, and potential hubris. It's fascinating how visual culture immortalizes memory, wouldn't you say? Editor: It definitely seems that way. I mean, just using color to convey so much. Like how red might signify passion, but mixed with grief. The imagery connects emotions to specific moments, almost like an anchor in history. Curator: Precisely. The artist captures that emotional weight beautifully. By fixing "Remember the Maine" with a national emblem, Frances Cohen highlights how collective historical experience gets folded into a people’s cultural memory. Seeing art as a repository of memory in this way, is there anything that comes up for you? Editor: It makes me wonder how contemporary artists can challenge or reinterpret those accepted symbols and coded messages. Like, how would we create visual iconography today? Curator: Exactly! Understanding how imagery operates then allows us to think about how it operates now. We began recognizing a moment and a motto in a particular way, now we’re poised to explore our contemporary symbols and memory-making. Thank you. Editor: This has been a revelation; thanks so much!