Rattle 1935 - 1942

This drawing, Rattle, was made by Michael Fenga sometime in the 20th century with graphite and colored pencil. The metallic grey and orange palette really sings. There's a real sense of careful looking, but at the same time, the hand of the artist is very present in the work. I'm really drawn to the way Fenga renders the rattle as an almost scientific diagram, like a tool in an instructional manual. The lines are precise and controlled, and it's like they are revealing the object to us. Note the orange section at the end of the rattle, which appears softer than the more mechanical areas of the work. This adds a touch of softness, a human element. The whole piece makes me think of Joseph Cornell's boxes, or the meticulous drawings of Hilla and Bernd Becher. The real art is in the way Fenga invites us to really see the world around us, one rattle at a time.