Letter A c. 16th century

Editor: Here we see the letter A, an anonymous work. It's very graphic. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Notice the material’s production: a woodcut, likely used for mass printing. The black ink, the paper itself... these weren't luxury goods. How does its potential function as a repeatable element within a larger text influence your understanding of its artistic value? Editor: So, its value comes from being part of something bigger? Curator: Partially. Its value also resides in understanding labor, materiality, and consumption. It makes you think about the system in which this was created. Editor: That's a new way of seeing things for me. Curator: Indeed! Always focus on the means.