University Library, University of Maine 1977

Editor: This is Lynne Cohen's photograph, "University Library, University of Maine." The black and white image gives the library a strangely sterile feeling. What do you make of it? Curator: Notice how Cohen frames the molded plastic chairs. They become objects, commodities divorced from function. It reflects the post-war obsession with new materials, blurring the lines between art, design, and mass production. Does this shift in focus change your interpretation? Editor: It does. It's less about the library, and more about how we consume and interact with these objects. Curator: Exactly. Cohen's work encourages us to consider the social and economic forces shaping our environments. Editor: I see the artist's point now; very insightful!