St Grégoire L'illuminateur bénissant Ste Tatèv 

Editor: This piece, titled "St Grégoire L'illuminateur bénissant Ste Tatèv" by Cricorps, employs impasto and fresco, amongst other media. I find the layering of colours quite captivating and it feels dreamlike. How should one approach interpreting this painting? Curator: To fully grasp the intent, we must examine the conditions of its making. Consider the socio-economic implications of using fresco, a labor-intensive medium historically linked to grand narratives and patronage. Fresco demands swift, collective labor and would originally serve a didactic, rather than simply aesthetic, purpose. Editor: So, focusing less on the narrative portrayed, and more on the way it was made and its historical context? How does impasto come into this? Curator: Precisely! And think about what the introduction of impasto does here. What does that application achieve against the established background of Fresco? Editor: So, the impasto adds a tactile, almost rebellious quality? As a break from that classical foundation? Curator: Exactly. Perhaps it suggests a modern questioning of historical or religious authority? How do these materials challenge our preconceptions of religious iconography, often associated with precious materials and meticulous craftsmanship meant to communicate value and faith? Editor: That’s a helpful way of reframing it! I now see it as a commentary on the industrialization of faith and artmaking. Thanks! Curator: It's a pleasure! Always consider what labour produces what.