Providence Church c. 1932 - 1933

Editor: This is Elizabeth O'Neill Verner’s “Providence Church,” an etching dating from around 1932 or 1933. It feels both detailed and a bit dreamlike to me. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: The labor involved in creating an etching like this is significant. Think of the time spent meticulously carving the image onto the metal plate. The artist's hand is so present, even though it's a printed multiple. Notice, too, how the landscape dominates; the building and the community seem almost enveloped by the natural world. This church likely relied on local timber, and perhaps slave labor to harvest and process that timber – we should ask ourselves about those connections when thinking about the art’s social and material conditions. Editor: So, you're saying that the natural world isn’t just a backdrop, but actively linked to the building’s production? Curator: Exactly. Look at how Verner uses the etching technique to highlight texture – the moss, the wood grain. What does it tell us about how buildings and nature exist as one with each other? Consider what sort of consumer culture was involved in artmaking during that time period; who consumed images like these and how? Editor: That’s something I wouldn’t have immediately picked up on. It makes me consider what narratives are reinforced – or erased – by emphasizing certain aspects of the scene. Curator: Precisely. By studying the material aspects of its production, along with historical conditions, the relationship of art to power structures becomes much clearer. It also encourages viewers to investigate overlooked labor that facilitated its production. Editor: Thank you – it definitely gives a new perspective for interpreting not only the work itself, but art history generally.