Singing Choir of Della Robbia 1979

Editor: Here we have Frank Mason’s "Singing Choir of Della Robbia," created in 1979 using oil paint. It strikes me as quite a dramatic still life, almost theatrical in its lighting. What draws your eye in this piece? Curator: Immediately, I'm interested in the dialogue between the painted fruits and the Della Robbia sculptural relief depicted in the background. It's a complex commentary on the mass production and consumption of art across different periods. Notice how the oranges and apples, readily available commodities, are elevated through the very act of painting. Editor: So you're suggesting it’s about more than just representing beauty? Curator: Absolutely. It pushes us to consider the labor involved in both the agricultural production of the fruit and the artistic creation of the painting and sculpture. Mason's choice of oil paint itself becomes significant; it is a manufactured substance. Editor: That makes me wonder about his process. Was he deliberately highlighting these material contrasts? Curator: Precisely. Think about the baroque style influencing his work – that dramatic lighting you noticed isn't just aesthetic. It draws attention to the textures and surfaces, almost fetishizing the materials themselves. How does the contrast between the sculpted figures and the fruit influence your understanding of traditional artistic hierarchies? Editor: I hadn’t considered it that way. I was initially focused on the visual harmony, but now I see a critique of consumerism and the art market built into the work. Curator: Indeed. Mason’s work cleverly intertwines the sensual appeal of the objects with a subtle questioning of the means by which we produce, consume, and value them. It makes us aware of the hands that bring those materials to us. Editor: I definitely appreciate this painting much more now, seeing beyond the simple still life and into the layered social commentary.