The river 

Editor: So, here we have "The River" by André Derain, likely from the early 1900s, created with oil paint. The colors are so striking; they're almost jarring! What are your first impressions when you look at this, and what should we really be looking *at*? Curator: I’m immediately drawn to the application of the paint itself. Look at the brushstrokes! Notice how Derain builds the composition, less with illusionism and more with the *materiality* of the oil paint? Consider the physicality involved, the sheer labor. Are we looking at a straightforward landscape or something that intentionally flaunts its constructed nature, pushing back against academic painting conventions? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered! I was focusing on the vivid colours. How does that affect its message? Curator: The arbitrary use of color directs our attention towards the means of production rather than just mimicking nature. These aren’t the colors of the river itself, but the colors Derain has *chosen* to depict the river, thus highlighting the artist's agency and manipulation of the medium. The social context matters too: this was a time of immense industrial growth. Think about how art becomes a commodity, circulated and consumed. Do you see this painting as reflecting, or even resisting, that reality? Editor: So the value shifts from the *what* is painted to *how* it's painted? Fascinating! This really gives me a fresh perspective on Fauvist works. Curator: Exactly! And understanding this shift allows us to critically assess not just the art, but its place within a broader network of materials, labor, and consumption.