Curatorial notes
Curator: What a striking image! I'm immediately drawn in by the sheer scale and stark presence of the aircraft. Editor: Indeed. Let’s dive in. This painting is entitled “The Invisible Airplane” by John Conrad Berkey. It appears to be an acrylic work depicting, at close range, an airplane and all the industry that is building it. It certainly provokes thought about mass production. Curator: Absolutely. Looking at the people surrounding the aircraft, they appear almost ant-like in comparison. It evokes themes of power, surveillance, and the military-industrial complex, particularly if we view it through a post-cold war lens. There’s something unsettling about its dominating presence in the landscape. How might ideas around global power relate? Editor: I agree it evokes questions about military might. From a materialist perspective, I’m captivated by the labor involved. Consider the multitude of figures diligently working on this immense object and the production systems it relies on. Where do those labor practices exist on intersectional landscapes like gender, race, and class? What communities did this product affect? Curator: Yes, precisely! The depiction invites viewers to reflect on who is involved in such large-scale endeavors and the consequences that the industrial processes have for both individuals and global communities. What power dynamics are in play during production as well as in operation? Editor: Furthermore, there's an undeniable fascination with technology at play here. We might be witnessing not just mass production but also consider its relationship to commodity culture. Is it promoting an embrace or condemnation of capitalism? Or a tension between both? Curator: It is that ambiguity that makes it so compelling! Considering its contemporary style, it certainly asks to think about labor and technological advancement as we think of military. There is almost an overwhelming effect caused by its subject. What kind of cultural meaning does such a huge production create for identity? Editor: Absolutely. Considering everything, it’s not merely the aircraft itself but also what the aircraft represents. The labor that constructs, the people who depend on it for various kinds of protection. It really highlights how art can force discussions around cultural and material systems.