Third Image for J 1976

Editor: This is Bernard Cohen's "Third Image for J," from the Tate Collections. The application of the paint, the layering, feels quite methodical. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The repetitive forms, produced with such visible labor, invite us to consider the means of its production. How does this process-oriented approach redefine our understanding of painting itself? Editor: So, it’s less about what is represented, and more about how it was made? Curator: Precisely. The repetitive mark-making underscores the artist's hand and labor. We can almost feel the artist’s engagement with the material. Consider how that labor is valued, or devalued, within the art market. Editor: I see what you mean, thinking about the labor changes my perspective. Thanks! Curator: It also shifted mine!