Untitled (from the Gauguin Series) 2004 - 2012

Editor: This is Andrew Lord's ceramic sculpture, "Untitled (from the Gauguin Series)." It's dark, almost unsettling, and seems to be referencing a human figure. What do you see in it? Curator: Well, the title itself gestures towards Gauguin, invoking the colonial gaze and appropriation of Polynesian culture. Considering the roughness of the ceramic and the distorted features, one might ask, is this a critique? Editor: A critique of Gauguin? Curator: Precisely. It challenges the romanticized and often inaccurate portrayals of non-Western cultures, forcing us to confront the power dynamics inherent in artistic representation. What does it mean to create a ‘primitive’ form today? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. It makes me think about who has the right to represent whom. Curator: Exactly! Art is rarely neutral; it's embedded within complex social and political contexts. Editor: Thanks, I'll remember to ask "who benefits?" when I look at art.