Evening c. 1939

Curator: William P. Hicks created this work, a drawing titled "Evening," around 1939. It seems to be made primarily using graphite. Editor: Woah, heavy vibes! It feels like a scene from a dimly lit stage play. Dark, looming, like a mystery waiting to unfold, what do you think? Curator: I think it’s interesting how the artist portrays these figures. There’s a visible class dynamic here – we have these workers by the water, and another man elevated, literally, above them. It really puts into perspective the inequalities of the time, particularly during the Depression era when this was made. Editor: It’s funny you mention that because their expressions are pretty opaque, which only deepens the unsettling feeling it conveys, doesn’t it? You know, that nervous sort of apprehension, almost dread... Curator: It definitely captures the precarity of working-class life, the economic uncertainties and anxieties that defined the period. The genre-painting aspect really comes into play here, representing a slice of life, but a very specific and burdened one. Editor: I see it also as kind of melancholic. It’s more than just an illustration, you can sense the exhaustion. Did Hicks focus on labor themes often, or was this a departure? Curator: Hicks’ work often engages with social realism. We should look into whether the subjects may reflect the racial biases inherent in depicting labour at the time; for instance, if certain jobs are exclusively assigned to figures from specific ethnicities or socioeconomic backgrounds within this kind of artwork, especially if it does engage with labor often. Editor: The use of graphite makes it raw, direct. The scene almost whispers a question. Is the evening offering rest or just more shadow? You know? Thanks for drawing my attention to the economic angle – I'd missed that tension! Curator: It just highlights how much art is a product of its time and how deeply interconnected identity, class, and artistic expression truly are. Editor: Totally. It makes me want to linger with "Evening," soak up every little graphite-y shadow and find my own answers swirling within it!