Riches 2007

Editor: Here we have Eva Rothschild's "Riches," a geometric construction in dark, glossy materials. It’s stark and imposing. What socio-political forces do you think might be at play in a piece like this? Curator: The title "Riches" alongside the sleek, dark materials suggests a commentary on value and power. Consider the historical associations of black with authority, and how geometric abstraction became linked to utopian ideals and then corporate power. Editor: So, are you saying that this might be a critique of how abstract art was co-opted by institutions? Curator: Precisely! Rothschild is likely prompting us to question the complex relationship between art, capital, and the spaces that display them. Museums themselves participate in defining "riches," don’t you think? Editor: That makes so much sense! I’ll never look at abstract art the same way again. Curator: It's all about understanding the conversation between the artwork and its context.