Watching a Parade c. 20th century

Editor: This is Boris Grigoryev’s "Watching a Parade," a pencil drawing. I am struck by how the composition seems to isolate the figures, even though they are ostensibly together. What do you see in this piece, looking at the physical materials? Curator: Considering the labor embedded in this drawing, I notice a contrast between the elite figures and the simplified, almost hurried lines used to depict them. The cheapness of pencil on paper versus their implied wealth raises questions. Where was this paper sourced, and who produced the pencil? Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't thought about the relationship between materials and class. Curator: Exactly! Grigoryev's choice of readily available, inexpensive materials offers a subtle critique of the social hierarchy he depicts. It democratizes the image, undercutting the elite status of its subjects. Editor: I now see that the medium itself is part of the message.