Earthenware Drain Tile c. 1937

Editor: Here we have Annie B. Johnston's "Earthenware Drain Tile" from around 1937, rendered in pencil and other dry media on paper. The piece feels very straightforward in its presentation of this singular object. What strikes you when you look at this work? Curator: What grabs me is how it elevates a mundane, utilitarian object. A drain tile! It’s about labor, agricultural landscapes, the unseen infrastructure supporting everyday life. This wasn't considered "high art", but Johnston focuses our attention on the process and material itself. Look closely at the pencil strokes; you can almost feel the clay. What kind of labor do you think went into the making of this tile? Editor: I guess physical, repetitive work. Shaping the clay, firing it…it feels a world away from painting a portrait, say. Do you think the artist intended for us to consider those connections? Curator: Absolutely. Johnston asks us to think about value and where it resides. Is beauty only found in something traditionally ‘artistic,’ or can we find it in the tools and byproducts of industry and agriculture? Consider, too, who made this tile – what was their socio-economic status, what was their working environment? It completely changes the way you engage with what some would dismiss as simply functional. Editor: I never would have thought so much could be unpacked from a picture of a pipe! Curator: It shows how art can really be about observing and challenging our assumptions of value and craft. Editor: I see what you mean. It definitely gives me a different appreciation for the artistry in everyday objects. Thanks for your insight.