Silkenfist Order, Magic the Gathering card 1999

Editor: Here we have "Silkenfist Order," an oil painting by Greg Hildebrandt, created in 1999 for the Magic the Gathering card game. I’m immediately drawn to the uniformity of the figures' clothing and their synchronized action against this monumental creature. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: The focus for me is the *doing* here. Hildebrandt, working in the late 20th century, engages with the fantasy genre through a very tangible process: oil paint. It begs the question of accessibility versus skill and labour. Think of the hours involved, the materiality of the paint itself— how it's bought, mixed, applied—versus the easily reproducible nature of the trading card it becomes. Editor: So, the value isn’t just in the image, but the labor of creating it? Curator: Exactly! Look at their garb too – seemingly functional, almost utilitarian, if we strip away the fantastical setting. Their 'silkenfist' attire, rendered in a seemingly simple medium like oil, raises the question: Is there really silk involved, or just an artistic *effect* of it, mimicking luxurious fabrics on working class people and situations? It’s the artistic equivalent of 'fast fashion' when applied on this surface. Editor: That makes me see it completely differently. I was so focused on the narrative, I missed the comment on material production and consumption. Curator: It’s easy to get lost in the fantasy elements. But consider the artist's hand and the wider industry supporting it, producing it to begin with: this piece speaks volumes about value and creation. Editor: Thanks; thinking about the labor behind this piece and how it circulated changes my understanding of its value entirely.