Sunday Morning 1938

Curator: Looking at Leah Balsham’s print from 1938 titled "Sunday Morning," what immediately stands out to you? Editor: The bleakness of the graphite. It's not the kind of scene that screams "Sunday morning," with its gritty texture, the horse looks exhausted, and the people seem rather worn down. Curator: This print offers us an interesting glimpse into working-class leisure. The setting appears to be stables with a sign saying "Horses for Hire," implying a form of weekend entertainment accessible to a certain class. Editor: Exactly. While the leisure element may be at play, it is inextricably intertwined with themes of labor and social inequality. What about the figures' attire? The figures do not present the traditional picture of affluence. Curator: Certainly. The figures are rendered with a deliberate roughness. The lines aren't polished, and the scene carries a sense of urban grit, something Balsham captured often in her depictions of Depression-era New York. We also should mention that, while she exhibited, she was not shown in galleries on 57th Street that might have guaranteed a strong market following, and in 1941 moved away from creating art. Editor: So the work hints at larger institutional exclusions. It’s compelling to examine how this artwork subtly brings social awareness to the concept of "leisure" itself, raising awareness of the struggles faced by common people who find enjoyment, and their complicated circumstances, in the simplest pleasures. Curator: I agree. Its lasting power resides in how it compels us to confront preconceived conceptions about relaxation, work, and how those two may be connected or differentiated through an experience of class and the social hierarchies of artistic venues. Editor: Indeed. This work pushes us to acknowledge these nuances, and ultimately, reconsider who benefits from—and who is alienated by—such divisions, even on a Sunday.