Tumbler c. 1937

Editor: Here we have Janet Riza's "Tumbler" from around 1937, a drawing done with watercolor. It's quite simple, just a red glass tumbler. I find the subject matter so mundane. How do you interpret this work? Curator: This simple glass tumbler isn't just mundane; it speaks volumes. The choice of the tumbler—an everyday object—immediately anchors us in the domestic sphere, doesn't it? Red, the color chosen for the glass, has potent symbolism throughout history and across cultures, signifying vitality, passion, even sacrifice. Does it perhaps evoke the kitchen and social gatherings? Editor: I suppose. So, the artist selected an object because it's used daily, and red links to common experiences or emotions? Curator: Precisely. Riza gives the glass a strong sense of volume and dimensionality, emphasizing its tangible nature and relating to a viewer's immediate sensory perception. Consider how often we overlook the design of everyday things like a glass. Riza is drawing our attention to design itself. Editor: Oh, like elevating the ordinary to something worthy of notice? It almost feels like an advertisement, now that you point it out. Curator: Exactly! Perhaps even gently nudging us to appreciate design in daily life. Are we now more appreciative of this artwork and tumbler than before? Editor: Definitely. The artwork has transformed in meaning for me from purely decorative to communicative, of everyday cultural value.