Page of the universal atlas, I. Spain and Portugal 

Editor: So, this is "Page of the universal atlas, I. Spain and Portugal," a mixed-media piece including ink and pen. The artist is Pierre Alechinsky. I'm immediately struck by how he's incorporated an existing map into what seems to be an abstracted floral arrangement. It feels a little bit like a deconstruction. What's your perspective? Curator: I’m interested in how Alechinsky manipulates pre-existing materials – specifically, the atlas page – to create something new. He’s intervening in a mass-produced item, imbuing it with individual artistic labor. The contrast between the mechanical reproduction of the map and the hand-drawn elements is crucial. What does it suggest to you about the value assigned to each? Editor: Well, the map itself represents a kind of objective, cartographic labor. But the floral design is totally subjective, and frankly, a bit chaotic compared to the grid beneath. The labor feels… expressive in a way the map can't be. Curator: Exactly. Think about the accessibility of these materials, too. An atlas page is relatively inexpensive, ubiquitous. The artist's intervention elevates it, questioning traditional hierarchies within the art world. Is he challenging what constitutes 'art' through these accessible, altered materials? Editor: Definitely. He's taking something ordinary, maybe even disposable, and forcing us to reconsider it. By adding the ink drawings, especially with such heavy outlines, he's both obscuring and highlighting the map’s original purpose. Curator: And what does that say about consumption and production? Consider the labor involved in creating the original map versus Alechinsky's artistic intervention. Are both forms of labor valuable? And who decides that? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. It makes me think about all the unseen work that goes into even something as simple as a map and how art can make that visible. This really shifted my perspective on the materials! Curator: It's amazing how considering material transforms your reading, isn't it?