Orpiment 

Curator: Looking at "Orpiment," a manufactured object by Ward's Natural Science Establishment Inc., I'm immediately struck by the crudeness of the label juxtaposed with the scientific precision implied by the contents. Editor: The "Poison" label overshadows everything. Orpiment, arsenic sulfide—what symbolic weight did that carry, being both a pigment and a deadly substance? Alchemists certainly knew. Curator: Indeed, this orpiment speaks volumes about art's complex relationship with danger and transformation. It's a reminder of how the very materials that enable creation can also be instruments of destruction. Editor: Yes, and about the labor involved. Who extracted this? What were their conditions? The raw material processed, bottled, sold...the commodity chain of art materials is rarely considered. Curator: Yet, this object also embodies the enduring allure of color, the quest for vibrant hues that have driven artistic innovation—and exploitation—for centuries. It's a testament to how symbols morph across cultures. Editor: It makes you consider the entire process of artistic production, from the mine to the museum shelf. The cost, the consequence. It forces a hard look at the making of art.