Trousers c. 1936

Syrena Swanson made this drawing of trousers, in what looks like watercolor, or maybe gouache. The marks are laid down simply, almost like a diagram. Swanson seems most interested in the interplay between precision and the handmade, between the eye and the hand. I love the way the brown pigment pools and settles, creating subtle textures. There’s something about the slight irregularities in color, the little drips and inconsistencies, that humanizes the drawing. Look closely at the back view of the trousers, the way the fabric bunches and folds around where the seat would be. Swanson captures the weight and drape of the material with just a few strokes. It’s like she’s saying, “Here is a pair of trousers, but also here is a study in form, color, and texture.” This reminds me of Marsden Hartley’s paintings of clothing, where everyday objects become imbued with symbolic meaning. Swanson isn’t just drawing trousers, she’s exploring the poetics of the everyday. And in that, there’s endless room for interpretation.