-Liberty Bell c. 1919

This miniature Liberty Bell, made of metal and wood by an anonymous artist, is quite something. It's got this cool, shiny surface, but you can also see the wear and tear, the scratches, the little dings. It's not pristine, it's been around the block. That's where the magic is, right? Like a painting, every mark tells a story, even if we don't know what that story is. The wooden clapper is a rough and ready affair. Check out the crack running up the side. It’s a reminder that nothing lasts forever, not even symbols of liberty, or the Exchange Bank of Granville, Iowa. Maybe that's the real message here. Think about Jasper Johns painting the American flag, he took this potent image and asked us to look at it again. Maybe this anonymous artist is doing the same, in their own way.