Street in Arras 1918

Editor: Here we have John Singer Sargent’s "Street in Arras" from 1918. The medium looks like watercolor, and the overall scene gives off this somber, desolate feeling. It really captures the destruction of war, but in a somewhat detached way. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see Sargent grappling with the representation of trauma and masculinity amidst the theatre of war. The scene depicts soldiers seemingly at rest, yet the bombed-out building looms behind them, a constant reminder of the violence they inhabit. It is hard to ignore that most figures seem to be Scottish; the kilt highlights a British war machine depending on their colonial holdings for the supply of labour and resources. This creates an interesting dialogue with the more obviously damaged architecture on the left. What narratives might we be overlooking by focusing on only traditional victims of war? Editor: That's interesting; I didn't think of it that way. The broken architecture is visually jarring. So are you saying Sargent is suggesting a critique of colonialism within his war art? Curator: It's subtle, certainly not overt. But consider the power dynamics at play. Who gets to depict war, and whose stories are told? Sargent, an American artist, paints Scottish soldiers within the ruin of a French town. The painting could also hint to the socio-economic precarity among enlisted soldiers, and the disproportionate number of victims among those populations. Who rebuilds Arras and with what compensation? This is a work rife with unasked questions. Editor: I can definitely see those layers now. It’s made me rethink my initial, simpler read of the artwork. Curator: Precisely! And thinking intersectionally also helps us understand why artworks have the power to transcend historical eras, since we still depend on marginalized populations today. Editor: I appreciate that. It offers a much more critical perspective. Curator: Indeed, always look beyond the surface to question, explore and understand.