Tail Coat c. 1937

Editor: This is Creighton Kay-Scott's "Tail Coat," made around 1937. It appears to be graphite or pencil on paper. I'm struck by how detailed and almost photographic it is for a simple sketch. What formal qualities stand out to you? Curator: The initial observation should begin with form: lines and shapes construct an assertive representation. Notice the geometric rigour with which the object’s inherent symmetries are portrayed: its doubled columns of buttons, squared corners and, set slightly askew, an accompanying study of its back. Are these the visual components of a unitary composition, or discrete components in an exploded whole? Editor: That’s a great question. I initially saw it as a cohesive unit, but now I see how the second, smaller image almost deconstructs the main coat. Why do you think the artist included the second, seemingly less refined image? Curator: Indeed. Consider the semiotics. Perhaps it invites viewers to see beyond the object. The slightly crude additional drawing serves as an anti-form—highlighting the more accomplished drawing’s contours and shades. We perceive an underlying artistic decision regarding wholeness and its constituent parts. Editor: That makes me look at the tailoring in a whole new way. It's almost like the artist is saying, "Here is the beautiful finished product, but also don't forget the individual elements that make it so". Curator: Precisely. One might extend this analysis into social commentary of labour, and consider the psychological effects of this dialectic. What can this stark contrast tell us about material and representation? Editor: I didn't even consider that at first, focusing purely on the aesthetic of the sketch itself! It makes me wonder what other layers are present in this deceivingly simple portrait. Thank you!