India 1926-1927 (Peshawar, Khyber Pass, Kohat, Malakand Pass) 1926 - 1927

Editor: Here we have "India 1926-1927" by Leslie Hamilton Wilson. It’s a small, red book with gold lettering. What’s your take on this? Curator: For me, it speaks to the material conditions of travel and documentation during the British Raj. The leather binding and gold lettering suggest a certain status. It begs the question: Who produced this, for whom, and using what resources? Editor: That's interesting. I was just thinking about the places listed, Peshawar and the Khyber Pass. How do these locations play into the work? Curator: They were sites of strategic importance. This object becomes less about art and more about the administration and representation of colonial power. Considering the labor and materials used, it embodies a very specific form of consumption and control. Editor: I never considered the labor involved in creating something like this. Curator: Exactly! It makes you rethink the relationship between art, labor, and imperial power, doesn't it?