begonnene Skizze der Stadtansicht -010 (started sketch of Cityscape -010) [p. 17] 

Editor: This is Max Beckmann's "begonnene Skizze der Stadtansicht -010," a cityscape sketch in graphite on paper. It’s… surprisingly minimal. Almost abstract. What can you tell me about the materiality and creation of this piece? Curator: It’s interesting to consider what Beckmann chooses to include, and more importantly, *how* he includes it, with such starkness. Think about the social context: postwar Germany. Resources were scarce. Labor was transitioning. The choice of simple graphite on paper – accessible, cheap, readily available – speaks volumes about the means of production at the time, right? Editor: Absolutely. It highlights the limitations but also maybe an artistic choice to embrace that raw simplicity? Do you think that connects with Modernist principles? Curator: It definitely pushes against traditional notions of high art that valued opulence. The *process* becomes part of the statement. He isn’t hiding the labor involved in the art-making; the visible strokes are essential. It makes me wonder who these rudimentary architectural forms will eventually serve? Who will occupy them? It's incomplete, but suggestive. Editor: So the 'unfinished' aspect emphasizes the human effort and social circumstances of its creation even further? It almost challenges the preciousness we often associate with art. Curator: Precisely. It democratizes the image, stripping it down to its core components, forcing us to confront the raw materials and the very act of creation. The value then lies not just in the final image, but also the human labor embodied in its production, a true testament to Modernism’s changing view on production, labor, and what exactly becomes commodified and how. Editor: I see how the apparent simplicity is actually rich in material and contextual meaning. It’s prompted a re-think on value for me. Curator: It goes to show how material limitations can ironically lead to powerful statements about artistic production. It prompts me to appreciate that the material tells the story.