Drawer Pull c. 1936

Editor: Here we have Philip Johnson’s “Drawer Pull,” a watercolor and pencil drawing from around 1936. There's something so precise and yet fanciful about this rendering. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: Oh, it's like a little jewel, isn't it? Makes me think of the kind of details you’d find on a secret cabinet in a fairy tale. I imagine Johnson hunched over his desk, painstakingly capturing the glint and shadows, lost in the artistry of the everyday. It’s almost reverential, don’t you think, for something so functional? Like elevating the mundane to high art. And look at the colours—that warm gold, the slight sheen! What does it evoke for you? Editor: It feels a bit Art Deco to me. Like it could belong in the Chrysler Building. Was Johnson interested in that sort of design at the time? Curator: Absolutely! He was fascinated by modernism, all those clean lines and geometric shapes. But he always had this little whimsical streak, I think, like he couldn’t resist adding a touch of unexpected flourish. The symmetry, of course, nods to that sleek modern aesthetic, but then the flourishes soften it, making it far less clinical. He was brilliant at playing with tensions, that's for sure. Does it shift your perspective a little? Editor: Definitely. It's much more nuanced than I initially thought. The combination is unexpected, almost playful. Curator: Precisely. And perhaps that's the point. It encourages us to appreciate the often-overlooked beauty in utilitarian objects. And sometimes, just sometimes, we must pull open new possibilities for thinking about art, culture, design… and drawers. Editor: Thank you, that was inspiring! I learned so much from that insight.