from the illustrated book "Kachō gaden" 

Editor: This is an image from "Kachō gaden" by Katsushika Taito II, showing two birds. It looks like a woodblock print. What can you tell me about the materials and techniques used here? Curator: Looking at this print, consider the labor involved in its production. From the cultivation of the trees for the woodblock, to the carving process, and the pigments used. How do these material choices connect to the social context of its creation and consumption? Editor: That's interesting. I never thought about where the wood came from. Curator: Right, and how does the availability and cost of these materials influence the artwork’s accessibility and distribution within society? Editor: So it's not just about the image, but about the whole system that made it possible. Thanks! Curator: Exactly, by examining materiality and means of production, we can challenge traditional art boundaries.