839 The Third Skin 1982

Editor: Here we have Friedensreich Hundertwasser's "839 The Third Skin," from 1982. It’s an acrylic painting, and it reminds me of a quirky cityscape. The lower part almost looks like a series of masks. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: What jumps out is the very *act* of painting. Look at the layered application of acrylic. See how the artist builds texture and form through repetitive marks, almost obsessively? What does that tell us about Hundertwasser’s labor and his engagement with materials? Editor: I see what you mean, it does look very layered and almost built-up. The marks seem quite intentional. How do you see that connecting with the title? Curator: The title, "The Third Skin," speaks volumes about shelter as something more than basic protection, don't you think? Consider housing, buildings—our “third skin”—as a product of intense labor, both physical and conceptual. Note how the repeated motifs might reflect standardized construction versus organic forms, what statement is the artist making by juxtaposing these? Editor: So you're saying that his process of layering and building up the paint is like the actual physical labor of constructing buildings, and questioning that? Curator: Precisely. And going further, who benefits from that labor? What systems of consumption and production are at play here? He’s challenging the detachment between art and craft by emphasizing materiality. Editor: That's a totally different way to look at it. I was focused on the imagery, but thinking about the *making* of it all, and the hands involved… it changes the meaning. Curator: Right. By looking at the means of production, the paint itself, we unpack larger social and economic concerns embedded within this seemingly simple cityscape. Editor: I'll definitely think more about materiality in other works too, thanks!