Diamond Shield 1997

Editor: This sculpture, "Diamond Shield" by Ray Howlett, was created in 1997 and is made of metal. It’s…striking, the way it uses geometric shapes and reflections to create such a vibrant effect. How would you interpret this piece? Curator: For me, "Diamond Shield" raises interesting questions about the artist’s labor. Look at the precise cuts, the seamless joining of the metal. It challenges this traditional high art versus craft divide by emphasizing how Howlett worked with the raw materials to shape it. What does the title "Diamond Shield" suggest about its cultural moment of production? Editor: Protection, maybe? Given the late 90s context, perhaps it reflects concerns about technology or information overload? Curator: Precisely. We can read its clean, geometric form through a materialist lens: Howlett isn’t just creating an object, he’s also engaging with and commenting on a society increasingly defined by mass production and visual consumption. The industrial fabrication is apparent but simultaneously softened by the kinetic quality. Does that connection between fabrication and motion change how you view the piece? Editor: Absolutely. Thinking about it as a commentary on production gives it a whole new dimension. I was initially focused on just the aesthetic, but now I see the artist’s…statement on labor? Curator: Yes, the statement is complex. Consider that this work was likely made in an era of outsourcing. So, is Howlett then reclaiming labor? The artist, through careful handiwork, makes this both personal, critical, and also desirable. Editor: It’s amazing how looking at the process and materials opens up so many layers of meaning. I see it so differently now!