Sans Titre 1914 - 1916

Editor: This mixed-media piece, titled "Sans Titre," was created by Jules Schmalzigaug between 1914 and 1916. The sharp lines and vibrant colors really create a sense of movement, like an explosion on the canvas. What strikes you most about it? Curator: What grabs me immediately is the mixed media itself. Here's an artist operating during a period of intense industrialization and societal upheaval, deliberately choosing to combine different materials. We must ask, how does the making process itself reflect the rapidly changing world of labor and production that Schmalzigaug was a part of? Editor: That’s an interesting angle. I was so focused on the visual dynamism; I hadn’t really considered the significance of the ‘how’ as much as the ‘what’. Curator: Precisely. Look closely at the texture. Notice how certain areas seem almost rough, raw, in contrast to the smoother, more deliberate sections. Does that contrast give us clues about what materials were easily obtained versus labored over? What does that juxtaposition suggest? Editor: It makes me think about mass production versus the individual artisan, which were huge debates at the time, and maybe Schmalzigaug is addressing them. Curator: Exactly! By consciously showcasing the materials and the *manner* of their assembly, the artist is laying bare the often-invisible processes of making art, inviting the viewer to ponder labor, materiality, and perhaps, even consumption. Editor: So it's not just about abstracting form, but about highlighting the actual *making* of the piece, too, within its societal context? Curator: Indeed. By blurring those distinctions, Schmalzigaug provokes us to think differently about the value we assign to both art and labor. Editor: That’s a powerful re-framing. I will never look at "abstract" art the same way now. Curator: Nor should you! Questioning the context, material and methods will add immeasurably to understanding art of the period.