Drum 19th century

Curator: Standing before us is a Zulu drum, believed to be from the 19th century. You can find this striking piece currently residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: Immediately, I’m struck by the simplicity, and the raw feel. You can practically hear the echoes of its rhythmic voice. It almost has a totem quality... Curator: It is a fascinating piece! Consider the construction itself. We have the skin, stretched taut across a carved wooden frame. Those textiles aren't just decoration, but key to the drum's voice. It speaks volumes, really, about the community's resourcefulness and their artistic language in function. Editor: I'm thinking about the hands that crafted it. The shaping of the wood, finding just the right animal hide, carefully lacing it. You feel the connection, the work of anonymous hands, so long ago, pulsing through it. Imagine it being played! Curator: Precisely! Rhythm is such a binding force in those communities, communicating everything. Can you envision this resonating through a Zulu ceremony, each beat telling a story, unifying the tribe in ritual and celebration? That kind of creation speaks volumes about the interconnectedness of art and culture. Editor: What you’re pointing out about the cultural narrative and the community use is right on. But let’s not romanticize too much, though, there was probably some person hours put into constructing it...it has probably endured many ritualistic usages, so I wonder where does 'craft' become art in a functional item, and what makes a cultural piece more "art" than the rest of it, and what that drum's life says about labour in its creation in historical Zulu society. Curator: Very valid points. So, by deconstructing this object through its cultural value, that does highlight how labour, value, and society can really inform art in unique and compelling ways. Editor: Yes, and for me, viewing an artifact like this always underscores my view on the power of object agency to spark questions! Curator: Indeed. An artifact with that resonance should always prompt many such fascinating reflections!