Twin Beaded Bag c. 1939

Byron Dingman created this drawing titled "Twin Beaded Bag," using ink and graphite on paper. The artwork presents two identical, dark-colored beaded bags. The bags dominate the composition, suspended from a single ring above, and have a three-dimensional form through subtle shading, particularly on the right bag, giving it a rounded appearance. Long strands descend, converging into the ring, mirrored by beaded tassels, creating a visual echo of the bag's structure. The drawing's stark simplicity and the repetitive symmetry of the bags invite a structuralist reading. The pairing suggests a binary relationship, a concept explored in semiotics to understand how meaning arises through difference. The choice of a functional object elevates the everyday to a subject of artistic contemplation. The negative space around the bags emphasizes their form. Consider how Dingman's focus on structure and symmetry invites us to look beyond the object itself, prompting questions about duplication, identity, and the semiotic systems that shape our understanding of art.