Flowers in a Blue Vase 

Editor: This drawing, "Flowers in a Blue Vase" by Odilon Redon, is made with colored pencils. I'm immediately drawn to the vibrant blue of the vase, which contrasts beautifully with the softness of the flowers. It’s quite a striking piece, in my opinion, yet still so delicate. What do you see when you look at it? Curator: The immediacy of the medium is critical here, isn't it? Redon used coloured pencils, a relatively accessible material. We need to think about why an artist working within Symbolism chose something so…domestic. He collapses traditional hierarchies, elevating the everyday materials of drawing, coloured pencils and humble, accessible subjects - the simple flower arrangement - to the level of fine art. This speaks to the growing art market, with increasing focus on art as a commodity. Editor: So, you’re saying it's less about the subject matter and more about Redon's decision to use these accessible materials in a fine art context? Curator: Precisely. Consider, too, that these are mass-produced materials. The implications of using industrially created implements for, what might be regarded as a purely artistic endeavour raises some thought-provoking questions around authenticity, labor, and the blurring lines between production and artistic creation, between craft and art. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. It is interesting to consider how Redon's choice of materials could be seen as a commentary on artistic production and consumption. Thanks. Curator: It invites a re-evaluation of the art object. The art is not only what we see but how it got here and what it represents within a wider economic landscape. It's about labour as a physical practice.