Paard 2 1923 - 1925

Editor: This bronze sculpture, "Paard 2" by Saar de Swart, created between 1923 and 1925, has an oddly comforting and melancholic mood, and it has an archaic aesthetic to me. What are your initial thoughts when you view it? Curator: I'm struck by how this small bronze figure evokes a sense of historical memory. De Swart has captured a figure who reminds me of religious statuary. Do you notice the textures in the folds of the robes? How might those textures speak to a cultural memory of devotion and solemnity? Editor: I see what you mean. The robe gives the impression of a long lineage in ecclesiastical order, but I'm less sure how that connects beyond immediate recognition. Curator: The hooded cape connects to cultural traditions; but there's a subtle modern tension. How does the statue evoke a particular type of cultural memory but avoid pastiche? Does that come from its scale, maybe, or its lack of idealization? It reminds us, subconsciously, of the church traditions while subtly critiquing the social construction of religious identity. It allows us to consider what is, in fact, important in one's faith and belief. Editor: I hadn't considered the understated nature of the figure and its ability to make commentary without obviously dictating meaning to the viewer. Thank you, that truly brings a different view on the subject. Curator: The sculpture, then, is not simply a representation, but an opportunity to examine our relationship to belief. I see it almost as an archeological dig. Editor: Fascinating. Now I am intrigued. It really makes one wonder, doesn't it?