The Bar at ’21’ 1974

Editor: So, this is "The Bar at '21'" by LeRoy Neiman, painted in 1974 using acrylic paint. The brushstrokes create such a sense of frenetic energy; what strikes you most about it? Curator: Considering Neiman’s work through a materialist lens, it becomes compelling. Acrylic paint allowed for faster drying times and vibrant colors. How does the mass-produced nature of acrylics and Neiman's clear use of these materials influence your perception of the high/low art divide here? Editor: I suppose it does blur that line. I usually think of oil paint when considering ‘high art’. Curator: Exactly! And the context is key. Think about '21' itself – a place of social consumption and labor. Notice how the bar is packed with items; liquor bottles, branded products, even hints of Yale insignia. Neiman documents the labor involved in maintaining this exclusive social space and its link to branding. Editor: Right! I see now how those material realities—the branded items and acrylic paints, and of course, the setting of a real and prominent bar and all of its staff and associated labor—complicate notions of artistic value. How did the mass availability of materials such as acrylics alter traditional views of painting, of visual art? Curator: Precisely. Before readily available acrylics, such vibrant color on this scale would've been unthinkable without massive investment and labor involved in paint creation. The artwork becomes not just a scene of consumption, but a commentary on the material conditions of its production and the socioeconomic landscape in which it existed. Editor: I’m starting to see art through new glasses. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. Reflecting on art through a materialist lens always unveils compelling stories.