Metros I 2003

Editor: Cildo Meireles’s "Metros I," from 2003, appears to be made entirely from folding rulers. They create two geometric shapes – a smaller square inset into a partial larger rectangle. It feels almost architectural in its design. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: Immediately, I see a powerful commentary on standardization and control. These rulers, mass-produced tools meant for objective measurement, are employed here to construct a subjective, even playful composition. Consider the labor involved in acquiring and arranging these materials. Is Meireles questioning the assumed neutrality of measurement? Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't considered the industrial aspect. The individual rulers seem so uniform, almost like building blocks. Curator: Precisely! Their uniformity speaks volumes about industrial production, yet their arrangement disrupts that very order. Look at how they're joined. What does that connection signify, given its overt and almost clunky visibility? It underscores the materiality and the act of construction. Editor: It almost looks provisional, as if it could be easily dismantled. It’s also intriguing that a tool for measurement is used to create shapes of indeterminable size, at least within the frame. Curator: It is not simply about questioning the inherent authority and stability implied in the physical tools, but also how they come to shape perception of material space and social relationships. What does it mean when the means to create, destroy, and comprehend all exists as an identical and potentially exchangeable object? Editor: So it's not just about challenging artistic norms, but also highlighting the underlying power structures in everyday objects and how they impact our understanding of the world around us? Curator: Exactly. By foregrounding the materiality and the production process, Meireles compels us to reflect on how we consume and interact with these standardized elements. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about. I didn't realize a seemingly simple piece could hold such a complex critique of labor and measurement.