Magazzine Mele 

Editor: This artwork is titled "Magazzine Mele" by Leopoldo Metlicovitz; it seems to be a poster, maybe a painting, of an elegant couple. The overall feel is very refined. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a fascinating snapshot of the burgeoning consumer culture at the turn of the 20th century. Metlicovitz, known for his Art Nouveau posters, here offers us a window into the commodification of identity. This poster isn’t just selling clothes; it's selling a lifestyle, isn’t it? Editor: That’s a good point! So you see the work commenting on societal values related to class or aspirational lifestyles? Curator: Absolutely! Note the idealized figures— the woman embodying an almost ethereal beauty, the man sharply dressed. This speaks volumes about the aspirations being manufactured and marketed at the time, particularly for women seeking to redefine themselves in a rapidly changing society. The male gaze is very prominent here and it begs the question, "For whom is the artist designing this advert?". Editor: I see that the advertisement uses "beauty" to communicate the aspirational class... is that something new to that era? Curator: To this degree, I would argue, yes. By associating the commodification of beauty and an "aspirational class", Metlicovitz underscores the increasingly entwined relationship between capitalism, desire, and identity in a new, and arguably modern world. This is what makes this seemingly simple advert very complex. Editor: That’s a really helpful way of thinking about it. I was just seeing it at face value, but now it seems much deeper! Curator: Exactly. We can learn to interrogate the social structures underpinning the piece and see the art from diverse angles.