Liquor Flask 1935 - 1942

Editor: Here we have Arthur G. Merkley's "Liquor Flask," created sometime between 1935 and 1942, rendered with watercolor and charcoal. There’s a quiet stillness about it. Almost meditative, the way the light catches on the glass... What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's interesting, isn’t it? Merkley invites us into a quiet contemplation of a very common, everyday object. You know, a flask isn’t just a vessel, it carries stories, secrets, perhaps even anxieties of the time. Notice how the realistic style almost contradicts the subtle distortions in form; the slight asymmetry, making it feel handmade, unique. Makes you wonder, doesn't it, about its past life? What secrets might that little olive-colored bottle hold? Editor: That's a great point. I hadn't considered the secrets it could hold! Does the almost photorealistic technique indicate that it was drawn from direct observation? Curator: Probably, yes, and with deliberate intention! I'd hazard a guess it mirrors his artistic and introspective process. What's revealed... and concealed... just like our memories! The blurry transition between dark and light evokes our experience. Perhaps an impression lingers that you want to record but may not fully remember. Do you get that impression, too? Editor: Yes, I can see how that could tie into memory and feeling! Thinking about its potential function shifts my understanding. I was focusing too much on it simply as an object. Curator: Art does that to us, doesn't it? Holds a mirror to our own interpretations, layered like sediment on the seabed. So, what do you take away now, with our little detour? Editor: Definitely a broader perspective. It is more than meets the eye, and there's depth beyond just its appearance!