Flute 

Curator: So, we're looking at an Aztec flute, crafted from wood, with detailed carvings. It resides here at The Met. What strikes you about this piece? Editor: Well, I'm drawn to the detail, especially the carved bird head. What really gets me thinking is, what can we say about the social and cultural processes behind creating it? Curator: Exactly. Let’s consider the wood itself. It wasn't simply "there." Think of the labor involved: procuring it, the tools used to carve, the time invested. How might these factors elevate it beyond just an object? Editor: That makes sense. So, by understanding the work and resources put into making the flute, it is more than just a decoration? Curator: Precisely. Indigenous craftsmanship, then, carries a socio-political message and is not subordinate to other types of art? Editor: Definitely. I hadn't considered it so explicitly before, viewing this piece as both material and labor history, not just for its visual quality. It challenges traditional value hierarchies between fine arts and the applied arts. Curator: What happens if we investigate what the music, from that wood-carved flute, may mean? And to what social uses might such music have been placed? Does considering all of this enhance the sensory and historical dimensions? Editor: I see what you mean. When the flute is recognized for both its inherent physical and non-physical features it really puts it into perspective for us as art historians, and everyone in general! Curator: Absolutely, and that approach enriches our understanding not only of the flute itself but also of the society that produced it.