Skeleton Marionette c. 1936

George File made this Skeleton Marionette using what looks like pencil and watercolor on paper. It’s fascinating how he’s laid bare the inner workings, exposing the strings that control this dancing skeleton. The cool grays and blacks give a somber feel, but there’s also something playful about the skeletal form. Looking at the pelvis, you can see File used short, choppy strokes to build up the form. It’s not about perfection but about capturing the essence. The lines of the strings are so precise, numbered like an engineer's drawing! File’s piece reminds me a little of Red Grooms, who, like File, has this knack for capturing a certain theatricality. Ultimately, I think art like this revels in the space between control and chaos, life and death, seriousness and play. It’s up to us to decide what moves us.