August 1956 (Val d’Orcia) 1956

Editor: This is Ben Nicholson’s "August 1956 (Val d’Orcia)", a large oil and pencil on board piece. It has a textured surface and abstract shapes. What do you see in this artwork? Curator: I see an exploration of material transformation. Nicholson's use of oil paint and pencil creates a tension between the industrial production of these materials and the artist's hand. Look at the labor-intensive process of building up these textures, almost like a topography. What does that suggest to you in relation to the 'Val d'Orcia'? Editor: Maybe it's about how we change the land through farming and industry? Curator: Precisely. It highlights our constant reshaping and consumption of the environment, and how artistic materials themselves are a product of that relationship. Editor: This reframes how I see landscape art; it is not just a pretty picture, but a statement about production.