La Lyra 2017

Editor: This is "La Lyra" by Siegfried Zademack, painted in 2017 using acrylics. It’s quite unsettling. All these figures draped in white, each holding a lit candle, stretching into the distance…what strikes you when you look at it? Curator: The figures' anonymity is fascinating. Their shrouds negate individuality, transforming them into manufactured units. What materials are in play beyond the acrylic on canvas, and what societal implications might they reveal? The ropes, the candles, even the ground they stand on, imply a labor, a manufacturing, that transcends mere artistry. How does the commodification of ritual contribute to the social order? Editor: So, you're saying it's less about the spiritual aspect of the candles and more about the process, almost like an assembly line of…what exactly? Are these ghost-like beings mass produced? Curator: Precisely! We're encouraged to consider production, the social hierarchy. The "fantasy" is constructed using tangible materials. Look at the ropes that bind some of the figures – they limit movement, enforce uniformity. We have to ask what system is making use of this group labor. Editor: It's interesting you highlight the material aspect. The robes appear like the figures are swathed in textile. Their connection to a specific industry. What are they making or being used for, who gains what? Is it then a statement on exploitation? Curator: Could it be read as a comment on modern manufacturing and alienation of labor? The materials of these "ghosts," robes, rope and the candle wax, hint at the broader cycles of creation and the people involved, seen and unseen. Does knowing it was painted recently alter your read of older practices being alluded to? Editor: It definitely adds another layer. It prompts a conversation about continued exploitation that echoes into the present day. Curator: I agree. Understanding the social implications embedded in even fantastical artistic creations can enrich our understanding and, I think, hopefully question it. Editor: I hadn’t really thought about approaching art from that angle. That helps me think differently! Thanks.