Lee 1979

Editor: This piece, titled "Lee," created in 1979 by Henry Chalfant, uses acrylic paint on what appears to be a subway car. I'm really struck by how raw and dynamic it feels; almost like a captured moment of urban energy. What's your perspective on this artwork? Curator: Well, from a materialist perspective, this image documents the physical transformation of public transportation. The subway car, originally a functional object produced for mass transit, becomes a canvas. This highlights the appropriation of public space for artistic expression, specifically challenging notions of ownership and control of the means of circulation and transportation. Editor: So, the subway car is almost like a readymade in this context? Curator: Precisely. And the use of acrylic paint, readily available and fast-drying, speaks to the practical concerns and the fast pace of graffiti art production. Consider the socio-economic context: marginalized communities often lacked access to traditional art resources, driving innovation with available materials. The illegality of this art form further underscores the resistance to established systems of power and value. Editor: That’s interesting. It sounds like you are referring to the production constraints impacting the work itself. Is that how the message of the artwork came to be? Curator: Partially, but it's also a reflection of consumer culture; where mass-produced objects can be re-appropriated and given new meaning. It challenges conventional notions of artistic value determined by galleries and institutions, by placing art directly into the public sphere, thus impacting a completely different, more democratic, consumer audience. What do you make of the figure on the right side? Editor: It looks almost cartoonish…sort of a melancholy figure crying. I’m just not sure how that symbolism fits. Curator: Perhaps the figure embodies the anxieties of the urban experience and serves as social commentary on marginalization in 1970’s New York City. Or perhaps it underscores the disposable nature of urban materials like a public transportation car. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about! Viewing it through the lens of material conditions makes so much sense, it almost turns graffiti into its own genre of readymade art. Curator: Absolutely! And by considering the processes of production, consumption, and socio-economic background, we understand its multilayered meaning.