Bottle c. 1937

Editor: This artwork is a watercolour and coloured pencil drawing called "Bottle," created around 1937 by John Dana. I find the intertwined, spiraling patterns really intriguing. What strikes you about the piece? Curator: I’m drawn to how this drawing transforms a commonplace object into a meditation on process and materials. Dana meticulously renders the texture and form of the bottle using watercolor and coloured pencil, elevating what might otherwise be seen as merely functional, shifting its significance to highlight its production. Editor: Production, in what sense? Do you mean glassblowing? Curator: Yes, precisely! Think about the physical labor involved in glassblowing at that time. The breath, the heat, the precise movements to shape molten glass. The drawing doesn't just depict a bottle, it references that act of creation, that human engagement with material. Consider also the choice of media: watercolor, often associated with preparatory sketches and more 'minor' art forms. Editor: So, it's a challenge to the conventional hierarchy of materials and crafts versus fine art? Curator: Exactly. By meticulously rendering a functional object in this manner, Dana seems to be inviting us to reconsider our understanding of what constitutes 'art'. He encourages us to question the societal structures that separate the decorative arts from so-called 'high art.' It’s about labor, skill, and a critical assessment of consumption. Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn’t considered the connection to labor and the value we assign to different forms of art-making. Curator: And, how different traditions have distinct material approaches to making an ‘everyday’ bottle. This also shows how our personal tastes and values can challenge traditional aesthetics.