Wine Glass c. 1936

Editor: This is Frank Fumagalli's "Wine Glass," created around 1936, a pencil drawing. It's deceptively simple, yet there's something compelling about the way the light seems to interact with the glass. What strikes you most about it? Curator: What I find fascinating is the very act of representation here. Why choose a wine glass? We’re looking at the intersection of mass-produced object, artistic labour, and the social rituals surrounding consumption. It raises questions about the artist's engagement with everyday life. Editor: So, you're suggesting it’s not just about the beauty of the glass itself, but about what the glass represents? Curator: Precisely. Think about the period, the rise of industrial production and consumer culture. Fumagalli’s choice to depict this seemingly mundane object forces us to consider its production, its place in social customs, and how it mediates our experiences. What kind of wine might one drink from it? Who is consuming and what does it tell about the socio-economic circumstances? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. It makes me think about how art can elevate everyday objects and give them new meaning. Almost like a form of…commentary? Curator: Indeed. By meticulously rendering the object in pencil, Fumagalli is engaging in a dialogue about value, about what constitutes art, and about the relationship between the artist, the object, and the viewer. The humble pencil itself plays a key role. A mass-produced tool to create a singular, handmade rendering of a mass produced object. Editor: This has really shifted my thinking. I initially saw a still life, but now I understand a commentary on labor, value and material culture. Curator: And that is the power of materialist art history – to unveil the layers of meaning embedded in the most unassuming of objects.