Duo 

Editor: Here we have “Duo” by Carlos Merida, it looks like a mixed-media collage, maybe with acrylic and coloured pencil elements too. I’m struck by the kind of muted palette, despite the blue backdrop. How do you approach a piece like this, where the materials seem so integral? Curator: From a materialist perspective, "Duo" presents a fascinating intersection of process, material, and social context. We need to consider not only what the materials *are*—the acrylic, collage elements, maybe even coloured pencil, as you noted—but *why* Merida chose these specific materials, and what meaning lies in their juxtaposition. Think about the post-war landscape. What new materials were artists exploring? How might Merida’s choice to use ‘common’ material, combined in unique way be a critique to how resources were consumed in society. Editor: So, less about pure aesthetics and more about the cultural and economic forces at play when it was made? Is that right? Curator: Exactly. The “craft” of combining media challenges a traditional art hierarchy. Collage itself is born from an act of deconstruction. Are these geometric forms referencing industry? Architecture? How does that clash with a potentially ‘handmade’ aesthetic of the piece? And ultimately, for what and whom was this art produced? Was this a unique object or mass-produced? Understanding these aspects, brings a fuller understanding of the artistic intent, going beyond just visual appearance. Editor: That's such a different way to look at it than I’m used to. It gives the work a completely new dimension. Thanks for showing me the context beyond just the aesthetic! Curator: Absolutely! Approaching art from the perspective of its materiality invites a broader understanding of its cultural significance and prompts one to question traditional definitions of artistic skill, or art making.