Deer Isle, Maine 1924

Curator: "Deer Isle, Maine," a watercolor and drawing by John Marin from 1924. It strikes me as quite fragmented and vibrant. What's your initial take on this landscape, and how do you interpret it? Editor: I find the way the colors blend and the sharp angles give the piece a really dynamic feel. What stands out to you most in terms of its artistic qualities? Curator: It's precisely that dynamic tension that captures my attention. Thinking materialistically, I am drawn to his approach to the watercolor medium, treating it in such an unconfined way as it democratizes traditional approaches to landscape. Marin almost disrupts the medium, challenging conventions. The labor and the physical act of painting are emphasized, challenging any separation between ‘high art’ and more accessible craft practices. Do you see how his rendering mirrors the socio-economic reality of early 20th century Maine? Editor: I do, it feels raw. Can you tell me a little more about the labor involved in its production? Curator: Marin’s artistic labor intertwines with the subject—Maine's rugged coastal landscape, but also its struggling industries: fishing, shipbuilding, timber, all dependent on difficult and exhausting labor. The quick, fragmented brushstrokes capture this feeling in material form and mirrors the precarity of labor at this time. Think also of how paintings are circulated as commodity in relationship to the place they are showing. What else do you see, thinking of materiality? Editor: So it’s less about just capturing the beauty of the landscape, and more about showing a sort of…truth, maybe? That feels significant to how we view artwork nowadays. Curator: Exactly! Marin’s process embodies truth, not just representation. I will definitely reflect on this a bit more too. Editor: Agreed, understanding the material conditions and context definitely transforms the way you view it.