Bit c. 1940

Curator: Instantly, I get a sense of silent strength, like a tool waiting for purpose. Is that the intention? Editor: It might be. I want to introduce you to Gerald Transpota's artwork from around 1940 titled "Bit". The medium here is drawing, crafted with delicate watercolors, showing the artistic merit that objects sometimes get. Curator: 'Bit', right? Interesting name for what seems like a still life of... horse equipment? A bridle, perhaps? The way Transpota renders it with those subdued blues and browns gives it such weight, you know? There’s this aura of solemnity, considering the horse and rider would have gone through a life of journey, speed, toil, and probably also affection. It’s odd but I love how such detail went into creating this art for what probably would go through so much "action". Editor: I'm fascinated by your response because this 'Bit' drawing isn't merely a rendering. These tools represented colonial power, their ability to literally and figuratively control entire landscapes of animals and native peoples through horse-riding. Transpota making something still and muted also highlights the passing of that lifestyle as America became further developed during and following WWII. What's muted to you becomes something somber due to loss of an era and cultural dominance. Curator: Now that you're painting *that* picture, I can’t unsee the ghost of that. What looked peaceful now looks like it lost its soul. Like a forgotten emblem. Makes me question how the objects that mean the most to our societies and ways of living, and whether time treats it gently or snatches it away. The ornate details speak volumes about craftsmanship, and that bit has this worn, loved quality. But seeing it drained of the action is now pretty poignant, as if to say its rider is gone. Editor: It's this push-and-pull between appreciation for tradition, and reflection of loss, that makes Transpota's 'Bit' such a fascinating piece, doesn’t it? That era left just a handful of trinkets behind as evidence of their way of life. Curator: Definitely. There is something bittersweet here. Editor: It's a stark reminder of the world changing so rapidly. Thanks for joining me in exploring these complexities within what seemed to be a small portrait.