L’auto Da-fe 

Editor: Looking at Gabriel Ferrier's "L'auto Da-fe," I'm struck by the drama and how painterly the application of oil paint seems to be. It evokes a visceral reaction. How would you interpret this piece? Curator: This painting pulls our attention to the stark realities of production and consumption inherent within representations of power. How were the materials – the oils, the canvas, even the models – sourced and utilized to construct this scene of subjugation? This piece allows us to confront the economic and social structures that not only permitted the historical event depicted but also enabled its representation through art. The dark colour palette might also imply at what labour cost these dark pigments have been produced. Editor: That's a fascinating point about the cost of the materials, considering what’s happening in the picture! So the way the artwork was physically produced informs its meaning. Curator: Precisely! Consider the labor involved in preparing the canvas, grinding the pigments, and the act of painting itself. Whose labor is valued, and whose is exploited, both in the scene and in the creation of the artwork? It also allows you to ask, which role do we endorse when contemplating this work? Who gains capital from these depictions and how do the represented individuals and environment suffer due to it? Editor: I see… It changes how I see art in general. It's not just about the image itself, but the story behind how it was made and what message that implies about the human condition. I hadn’t considered labor. Curator: Indeed. By interrogating the material conditions of its creation, we can gain a deeper understanding of its meaning and impact within its social and historical context. In this case of potential torture we could also reflect on who commissioned and funded these materials. Editor: Thank you. That's definitely given me a fresh way to consider the complexities of art and its relationship to society and wealth.