-Bull with Horns- still bank c. 1970

Editor: This is "-Bull with Horns- still bank," made around 1970. It's a small metal sculpture by John Wright, residing here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It looks pretty worn, and there's something about the dark metal that almost makes it seem…industrial. What should we make of it? Curator: Think about the production. A metal bank shaped like a bull: it’s both an object of play and an introduction to capitalist systems for children. Consider the labor involved in its manufacture – the casting, the painting, likely done on a mass scale. Editor: So, it's not just a toy; it's about teaching value and profit at a young age. Curator: Exactly! The material, the worn metal, even that slot for coins... they all speak to the social function of this object. Who was producing it, and for whom? Editor: And the fact that it *is* worn suggests it was used. So, kids actually engaged with the process of saving. Curator: Precisely. It makes you wonder about the aspirational aspect too. What does the bull represent in this context? Editor: Maybe power, strength…but in a very controlled, almost domesticated way? It's serving as a container for money. Curator: Right. Think about the inherent tensions. This durable material representing something ultimately transient: capital. The object straddles both art and industrial design, challenging those high/low art distinctions. What do you take away from that? Editor: I didn't think about the class implications or how labor and money would intersect with a child's toy, before! I definitely have a different perspective on the piece now, focusing more on context than aesthetics alone. Curator: Good. Examining the means of production and social purpose opens up completely new layers of meaning, doesn't it?