Cat and Canary 

Will Barnet created this print, "Cat and Canary", at some point during his long career. It shows a domestic scene with the titular animals, but rather than representing their real relationship, he uses them to hint at wider social relationships. Barnet was based in New York, and his work often showed a combination of modernism and social commentary. Here the modernist element is clear in his choice of flattened perspectives and abstract geometric forms. The cat and bird could represent people from different social classes, and the underlying tension is evident in the way the cat looms over the canary. The canary in a bowl of water could also refer to the dangers that exist, as canaries were often used in coal mines to warn of toxic gases. Understanding these images requires research into the artist's social context and background. By reading about his life and the institutions he was involved in, we can understand more about the meaning of his images. The value of art lies in its ability to be interpreted in different ways depending on our social and institutional context.