Now these words are all air 

Editor: Here we have Fernanda Suarez's painting "Now these words are all air," crafted with acrylics. I find the overall image rather haunting, especially with the blurring of the background and focus on the subject’s gaze. What's your take on this work? Curator: For me, the material aspects of Suarez’s work are deeply interesting. The use of acrylics allows for that almost hyper-realistic sheen on the figure’s skin. How does that tactile quality play against the backdrop, and the titular "air"? Think about the social commentary: the means of production here reflect late-stage capitalism. Do you think she's saying something about the fleeting nature of language, perhaps in our digitally saturated world? Editor: I can see that, with the choice of medium impacting the image. It also makes me think about how she depicts a cityscape, yet focuses intently on a portrait. So is she making a point of contrasting interiority with an urban environment through those visual elements? Curator: Precisely! The cityscape rendered immaterial, in neon, consumed and re-presented. And consider her technique. That blurring… is it merely aesthetic, or a purposeful commentary on how the city—our world, really—blurs and distorts lived experience? Think of how acrylic paints, initially developed for industrial use, become elevated to this fine art practice. Editor: It’s intriguing how a seemingly simple portrait can open up these wider discussions about materiality, labor, and our social landscape. The focus shifts away from the individual and towards something bigger. Curator: Exactly. By examining Suarez’s method and material choices, we expose deeper meanings related to consumption, production, and our place in this cityscape. Editor: Thanks! That helps me look past just the face to the processes at play. Curator: And that’s how the “air” of words becomes grounded in the materiality of art.