Pipe c. 1936

Editor: We're looking at "Pipe," a colored pencil drawing on paper from around 1936 by Mabel Ritter. The pipe itself is quite ornate, even a bit unsettling with those human heads carved into it. What strikes you when you look at this, in terms of historical context or possible commentary? Curator: This image immediately makes me consider the fraught history of smoking and representation. Beyond being a simple drawing, it portrays a crafted object. The carved heads, one in profile and one forming the bowl itself, place this pipe squarely within a colonial or early American aesthetic, recalling images of the founding fathers. Editor: So, the pipe isn't just a pipe; it's evoking something about American history and perhaps even power dynamics? Curator: Precisely. The act of smoking has complex ties to colonialism, trade, and ultimately, exploitation. Who had access to these luxurious, ornamental items, and at what cost? What narratives of nationhood are embedded in this object and in its depiction here? Notice too how the inscription reads 'New York.' Is this asserting some claim to a particular heritage, or pointing towards the site of so much global exchange? Editor: It's interesting that a drawing of a simple pipe opens up such complex questions of cultural and historical meaning. I hadn't considered how an object so tied to pleasure could carry such a heavy burden. Curator: That's often the case! Objects aren't neutral. Examining them through a critical lens reveals the power structures and social dynamics they reflect and reinforce. Hopefully viewers now have some added tools to observe ordinary looking objects in the future, in an extraordinary way.