Sketchbook (Siena, Perigord) 1981

Curator: Elena Prentice's "Sketchbook (Siena, Perigord)" presents us with the cover of what was once a repository of ideas, now itself a silent object. Editor: It's oddly melancholic. The worn texture of the blue cover hints at countless hours of use, the metal spiral binding speaks of functionality and the potential for process. Curator: Indeed, the composition—the juxtaposition of that industrial binding against the soft material of the cover—creates a visual tension, doesn't it? It points towards the artist's method. Editor: I'm more interested in what this object represents as a whole: the value we place on the tools of creation and their quiet witness to the labor of artmaking. Curator: That's a valid point, acknowledging the value of the object beyond its aesthetic qualities. Editor: Exactly, and perhaps the true art lies in the unseen contents, the potential within. Curator: I concur. Perhaps the unseen contributes to our viewing experience. Editor: It is quite a compelling thought.