Hardware (Hinge) 1935 - 1942

Grant Vanderpool created this drawing, titled "Hardware (Hinge)," using graphite and watercolor on paper. The composition is divided into two distinct horizontal registers, each featuring a piece of hardware against a muted background. The upper register showcases a screwlike object, while the lower register presents a hinge. Vanderpool's strategic arrangement of forms invites us to consider the semiotic potential inherent in these utilitarian objects. The hinge, traditionally a symbol of connection, is rendered here as a solitary, static form, removed from its functional context. Similarly, the screw, typically associated with fixing and joining, is presented in isolation. Through this formal reduction, Vanderpool prompts a reconsideration of the hinge as a signifier within a broader cultural discourse. By isolating and re-presenting these objects, Vanderpool underscores their aesthetic qualities, inviting us to see beyond their functional roles. He uses a formalist approach not just aesthetically but as part of a larger cultural discourse on everyday objects.