Towns 1914

Editor: Here we have Nicholas Roerich's "Towns," created in 1914 using colored pencils. There’s almost a fairy-tale quality to it; a sort of ancient city rendered in warm yellows and oranges. What stands out to you as you look at this work? Curator: Well, beyond the aesthetic appeal, I'm drawn to the actual process behind the image. The use of colored pencil – often relegated to the realm of sketching or children's art – to depict something as monumental as a town. How does that choice affect your perception of the 'town' itself? Editor: That’s an interesting question! I guess I hadn’t thought of the medium as impacting my view. It does give it a less serious, maybe even whimsical feel? Curator: Exactly! Now, think about 1914. The world was on the cusp of immense change, rapid industrialization was occurring, artistic movements were forming as new methods were discovered and new social orders began taking root. Roerich chooses a decidedly low-tech, readily available medium – colored pencil – to depict, maybe even critique, urban spaces and social constructs. How does this conscious material choice relate to themes of labour, access, and possibly even the societal changes Roerich would have witnessed? Editor: So, maybe he's using the simplicity of colored pencil to suggest a return to simpler ways of life, away from industrialization? And the availability of colored pencils making art creation more democratic? Curator: Precisely! Roerich's "Towns," then, becomes not just a quaint cityscape, but a commentary on the changing world, expressed through the very materials used to create it. Editor: That definitely gives me a new perspective on the artwork. It's fascinating how the medium can be as important as the subject itself. Curator: It is. Looking closely at art – how it's made and from what – tells us just as much as any historical text.