Fording 1864

Editor: This small, undated print, called "Fording" and created by an anonymous artist, depicts soldiers wading through water. What strikes me is the collection of shoes and hats suspended above them. How do you interpret the meaning of these symbols in the artwork? Curator: The elevated shoes and hats are poignant. They speak of vulnerability and protection, both physical and psychological. Soldiers often carry totems, remnants of home and loved ones, to shield them. The raised footwear might also suggest a shedding of past identities, a symbolic baptism into their new role. What do you make of their serious expressions? Editor: I hadn't considered the personal totems idea. Their solemn faces now suggest a heavy emotional burden. I guess seeing this, I'm starting to understand art as a container for collective memory. Curator: Precisely! And visual symbols are the language of that memory. I'm glad we could help unlock some of its meaning together.