Morre XXII 1994

Editor: Here we have Al Held’s "Morre XXII" from 1994, an acrylic on canvas piece. I find the overlapping circles playful and energetic, almost like bubbles rising. What’s your take? Curator: What interests me are the material qualities, and how they signify the evolution of painting production. Acrylic paint, a product of petro-chemical industrialization, stands in stark contrast to traditional oil paints, right? What does that shift in material mean for painting, for the artist’s relationship to labor? Editor: I see what you mean. So, moving away from more "natural" materials influences not only the outcome but the creative process too? Curator: Exactly. Held is dealing with the implications of this readily available, manufactured medium. How does mass production affect artistic intention? The use of acrylic also pushes us to think about the art world as a market. Held's large canvases are themselves commodities. The act of painting is embedded in economic structures. Editor: So it's not just the image, but also how the materials themselves carry a message about production and value in art? Curator: Precisely! The materials dictate certain properties – the smooth, flat surfaces achievable with acrylic contrast with the textured brushstrokes of oil. This is an entirely new kind of visual language, brought about by changing modes of artistic production and the culture of consumption that fuels them. The readymade colours come directly from industrial production and processes of capitalism. Editor: I never really considered the socioeconomic implications of paint before. Curator: These ‘choices’ have impact! When we examine the artist's interaction with and adoption of certain materials, we’re looking at a conversation between creator, object, and the forces driving society. Editor: This really broadens how I will look at painting from now on. Thanks for highlighting these insights! Curator: Absolutely, it enriches the experience to look for the dialogue between materials and their social lives.