Oriental Fantasy 1958

Editor: This is Irene Aronson’s "Oriental Fantasy," a linocut print from 1958. I’m struck by how the orange ink gives this image such warmth, almost like a hazy, imagined landscape. What catches your eye? Curator: I notice immediately the artist’s use of linocut. Consider the labor involved in carving away the linoleum to produce this “Oriental Fantasy”. This isn't some spontaneous sketch; it's a constructed vision, reflecting Aronson’s interaction with existing representations and expectations of ‘the Orient.’ Editor: So you're saying the medium itself plays a part in constructing this fantasy? Curator: Precisely. Linocut, a relatively accessible and inexpensive medium, allowed Aronson to disseminate her “fantasy” widely, reaching a broad audience. Who did she want to see this image, and what might they have bought? This contrasts sharply with how an equivalent image in oil on canvas would be circulated, to other upper middle-class consumers of fine art, through a commercial gallery, for example. How does that production process inform its meaning, or value? Editor: That makes me think about who had access to creating and sharing images like this in the '50s. Was Aronson working within or against existing systems of art production and consumption? Curator: Exactly. Furthermore, note the "proof" inscription on the print. Is it claiming an artisanal distinction in contrast to machine production? Perhaps implying a studio where prints are pulled for collectors of a certain standing? It is fascinating to consider who "Oriental Fantasy" was originally marketed to. Editor: I hadn't considered the process so deeply. It really adds another layer to understanding its cultural significance and its value as art! Curator: Indeed! Paying attention to materiality brings art history back to the lived experiences of production, distribution, and ultimately, consumption.