Untitled 1974

Editor: We're looking at Tony DeLap's "Untitled" from 1974, a wooden sculpture painted a deep blue. It's incredibly simple, almost like a solid, minimalist void contained within a clean wooden frame. How would you interpret this work, given its focus on form and material? Curator: This piece invites a reading through the lens of its production. DeLap's work consistently engages with the materiality of artmaking. What kind of labor went into constructing this? Look closely at the wood; how was it treated, joined, finished? Think about the industrial processes possibly mimicked, and how that might relate to post-war American consumerism. Editor: So, you're saying that the emphasis here is less on some kind of inherent meaning, and more on how it was made, and what its materials say about its time? Curator: Precisely. Consider the blue paint, too. Is it a standard industrial color? Or is it a carefully chosen hue with a more nuanced history related to color theory, or social trends in design? How does the manufactured quality of the materials used impact our experience, particularly against the backdrop of art world hierarchies? The contrast of machine production against handcrafting in art has a social history that is crucial to understanding DeLap’s contribution. What tensions can you see in this artwork based on the properties of the materials? Editor: I guess I see how the perfectly smooth blue plane emphasizes its artificiality, but also kind of obscures the wood, making it almost invisible at first glance. It’s like it’s hiding its construction. Curator: Exactly. The materials aren’t simply “there.” They’re deployed strategically, referencing, critiquing, and transforming their own means of production. The use and visibility of raw materials over luxurious ones is key. Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way before, focusing on the actual work that went into it and how the materials themselves contribute meaning. Thanks, I’ll look at art differently now. Curator: It’s a pleasure, looking closer is always rewarding.