Pink Sweater 1981

Editor: Here we have Alex Katz’s "Pink Sweater" at the Tate. The brushstrokes are so visible, it emphasizes the materiality of the paint itself. How might we interpret this focus on the medium? Curator: Katz's visible brushstrokes foreground the labor involved in art production, challenging the traditional separation of art from craft. Does this focus on materiality influence your understanding of the subject, and perhaps her social context? Editor: I hadn’t thought of that, but now I see how the deliberate emphasis on the paint democratizes the image, it’s not just about the likeness, but about its making. Thanks! Curator: Exactly! The means of production are brought to the forefront, affecting our perception of the artwork and its subject.