Television

Description

Canadian School Folk Art Television (Unsigned, 20th Century)

This distinctive piece of Canadian folk art transforms the familiar form of a television into a playful, hand-built sculpture. Constructed from painted plywood and wood moulding, and accented with authentic materials such as a Sony antenna and Grower’s apple cider bottle caps, it embodies the resourcefulness and creativity often found in vernacular art.

At its center is the brightly painted test pattern, that familiar after-hours image once seen when broadcasts ended for the night. Rendered in bold stripes of color, it captures the essence of an everyday cultural object but with a direct, hand-painted naivety that feels both nostalgic and endearing. The polychromed surface, simple geometry, and tactile materials all highlight the folk tradition of reimagining conventional objects in more personal, inventive ways.

The work is as much about memory as it is about form. It recalls a time when television itself was a communal focus, its static patterns and signals oddly iconic. By presenting the subject in a handcrafted, almost whimsical manner, the artist elevates what is ordinary into something sculptural, humorous, and collectible. This piece speaks to the enduring charm of folk art—its ability to capture the spirit of a culture by celebrating the familiar through color, imagination, and everyday materials.

All Dimensions In Inches

Vertical

14.5

Horizontal

16.5

Depth 

4.5