-Saving Bank- still bank c. 1930

This anonymous still bank was made out of metal, at an unknown date. The artist has taken a very simple form and exaggerated it into something, well, bank-like. Look at that colour! That bright orange colour is so direct, so visceral. It feels like something you could taste. It’s hard to tell how the object was made, but you can see small imperfections in the casting of the metal and the application of the paint. These subtle details suggest a handmade process, an interest in the directness of the object. Look at the way the edges of the “doors” are slightly uneven, or how the paint has chipped away on the corners. These imperfections give it an incredible presence. It reminds me of some of Haim Steinbach's sculptural works, in the way it elevates everyday objects to the realm of art, inviting us to reconsider their form and function. But unlike Steinbach, this artist’s hand is all over the work. It’s these imperfections that make the work feel alive, and the object speak.