Khor, the President of the Oochen Republic c. 1922

Editor: So this is Edward Steichen's "Khor, the President of the Oochen Republic," around 1922. It's a mixed-media drawing. I'm really drawn to the geometry, and the, well, manufactured feeling of it. What strikes you when you see this work? Curator: I immediately consider the materials themselves. What sort of papers are used? Are these commercially produced paints and pigments or are there natural components? Notice how the geometric forms appear both carefully planned and crudely rendered. To me, it brings into question the status of "high" art during this period. Editor: That makes sense. How does that crude rendering play into its context? Curator: The 1920s saw huge shifts in artistic production. Think about the rise of mass-produced goods. An artwork like this blurs boundaries. Is Steichen commenting on industrialized culture by adopting its aesthetic, yet seemingly failing to achieve its slick perfection? Does the visible 'hand' of the artist subvert mass production? Editor: I see what you mean. So, it’s like the materials and process themselves become a form of social commentary. It is handmade but not "fine art." It lives in between. Curator: Precisely. It exists as an object in dialogue with industry. Even the framing— how might that relate to ideas of presentation and consumption at the time? Consider if this artwork challenges what can be bought and sold and its labor value, as something made by hand, at this specific historical time. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about regarding the cultural role of art. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! Thinking about art through the lens of materiality offers fascinating insights.