Grandfather Clock c. 1942

Curator: Well, doesn't that just conjure up childhood memories of visiting my grandparents? Editor: Indeed. The work, "Grandfather Clock," crafted around 1942 using pencil and colored pencil, presents a poignant representation of domestic timekeeping. Curator: It's the quiet kind of stillness that gets me, almost like the clock has paused right before striking the hour. And what's amazing is how much Fisher conveys with, well, colored pencils. Editor: I agree. Time is a construct rooted in Western industrialized culture, impacting our lived experiences—controlling, commodifying, and quantifying life. What do you think, seeing that represented here? Curator: You know, it's funny, when I first saw it, I didn't think about any of that, or about grand narratives or systems! Just a very particular sort of personal melancholy, really. Perhaps I saw the isolation of a clock that just stands there marking time, regardless of how much joy or suffering is happening around it. I find a tiny sliver of humanity embedded in this silent depiction. Editor: That reading is beautiful, although it sidesteps some difficult history. While the execution is delicate, let’s think about who would have owned a clock like this in 1942. How do we come to terms with that type of domestic comfort against the backdrop of World War II? Curator: That's valid, absolutely. I suppose I am sometimes tempted to ignore broader context when an artwork resonates on such a personal level. And that, in itself, can be a critical flaw, a wilful act of blindness to maintain an uncomplicated narrative. So much about history boils down to who gets to ignore what, doesn't it? Editor: Precisely! And I do think you can appreciate both the technical achievement and emotional accessibility, and question its socio-historical role in our lives. Curator: Yes, I suppose that tension is what makes engaging with artwork so compelling. You always end up walking away with something new. Editor: Indeed, "Grandfather Clock" urges us to contemplate the intersections of personal sentiment, historical context, and the commodification of time.