Peeing horse 

Curator: It strikes me as rather humorous and a bit poignant, this sketch. A Baroque rendering of the mundane, almost. Editor: Indeed. What we're looking at is a drawing called "Peeing horse" by Philips Wouwerman. Wouwerman, a Netherlandish artist from the 17th century, was known for his depictions of horses. Though this isn't a grand battlefield scene or an aristocratic hunting party, it gives us insight into animal representation. Curator: It’s just…a horse, captured in this utterly unglamorous moment. And yet, there’s a kind of raw honesty to it, wouldn't you say? I can't help but laugh a little and simultaneously feel for the poor beast. Editor: Precisely! One can ponder the symbolic weight of this commonplace action. Is it a critique of power, perhaps? The mighty reduced to the needs of the flesh? The artwork’s simple composition is revealing, isn’t it? Curator: Totally! I’m reminded of a line by Audre Lorde that keeps resonating with me: “There is no thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.” It's relevant to this in the sense that what appears singular actually involves so many connected facets. Here, what appears so rudimentary – urination – brings in cultural ideas around gender roles, socioeconomic position, or even physiological control. Editor: I see what you're saying! I personally appreciate how much life Wouwerman brought into such ordinary representation. It is sketched simply with pencil and chalk and does not pretend to be spectacular. Curator: Ultimately, "Peeing horse" leaves me pondering. What do we deem worthy of immortalization in art? Why this horse, at this moment? Editor: Perhaps, it suggests that worth lies in seeing the art of ordinary moments of living as valid experiences in and of themselves. Thanks to its unassuming style and frank acceptance, there’s something pretty potent regarding "Peeing Horse" at the conclusion of the day.