Stoneware Jar c. 1937

Editor: This is Annie B. Johnston’s *Stoneware Jar* from around 1937, rendered in ceramic and paper. I find its simple form quite elegant, and the muted color palette lends it a timeless quality. What can you tell me about it? Curator: The jar speaks volumes about the era it was created in. Consider the context: the 1930s, the Great Depression. Objects like this, depicting everyday functional items, gained prominence. Could this artwork be a subtle commentary on the value of simple living amidst widespread economic hardship? Editor: That's interesting! I hadn't thought about it in relation to the Depression. Curator: Think about the public role of art during times of crisis. Was this artist's choice of subject matter an endorsement of homespun values? A nostalgic look at simpler times, perhaps? Moreover, how might exhibiting pieces like this one reinforce certain social values within institutions such as museums or galleries? Editor: So the jar isn't just a jar, but it's communicating the values or priorities valued in the South? Curator: Precisely. And even questioning those priorities. We have to think critically. It’s also important to consider whose stories get told. Who gets to depict this simplicity, and for what audience? It makes one ponder on what wasn’t depicted. What values were actively excluded? Editor: That’s definitely given me a lot to think about—more than just surface aesthetics. Curator: Exactly. And the true depth and role that cultural objects have, that we can examine and perhaps help clarify today.