Slipper 1935 - 1942

Daniel Marshack's 'Slipper' is, well, a watercolor of a slipper, and it makes me think about what it means to 'wear' an image. The off-white palette, almost ghostly, makes the slipper appear fragile, like it might disintegrate if you actually tried to slip it on. Look closely, and you'll see how Marshack meticulously rendered the textures – the subtle wrinkles and creases in the fabric, the way the light catches on the surface. It's as if he's trying to capture not just the appearance of the slipper, but also its history, the memory of its shape molded by a foot. There's something almost melancholic about this lone slipper, floating in the creamy expanse of the paper. It reminds me a little of some of the quieter works of Giorgio Morandi, those humble still lifes of bottles and jars. Both artists find beauty in the mundane, transforming everyday objects into objects of contemplation. Art is that slipper, you try it on and walk around a bit.