Ritual Stone (pulidor) 1521

Editor: Here we have "Ritual Stone (pulidor)," crafted around 1521 by an Aztec artist. It's a beautifully shaped sculpture residing at the Met. The first thing I notice is its almost aerodynamic form; it's sleek and polished. What do you see in this piece that strikes you from a formalist perspective? Curator: The reductive nature of the piece is immediately apparent. Its curved triangular shape reduces the very idea of ritual objects down to its essence: a tactile object. What kind of tension exists between this work’s purpose and visual being? Editor: Tension… interesting. I guess it is meant to be used but is still appreciated as sculpture with unique geometry? Curator: Precisely. The choice of the material itself, its veined surface and smoothed surface texture add a level of complexity and tactile and visual refinement that almost seem counter to its function. It invites contemplation. Editor: So it's not just a utilitarian tool, but something meant to be appreciated visually and, like you said, even touched or held, experienced more holistically through sight and texture? I see how form dictates function but can be separated. Curator: Consider also how the stone's internal variations add depth, an almost geological timescale inscribed into its form. Does that then imbue its supposed ritual purposes with deeper meanings about our very short existences in geological time? Editor: I hadn’t considered the relationship between material and ritual. Thank you for expanding how I approach this sculpture, I see form playing multiple key functions simultaneously! Curator: And conversely, that the object’s intrinsic geological materiality plays with our ideas around temporality in relationship to artistic expression itself.