ASTERALES 2021

Editor: Here we have Mary Jane Ansell's "ASTERALES" from 2021, an oil painting. It's strikingly beautiful, almost dreamlike, with that rich color palette against the dark backdrop. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: Looking at "ASTERALES," my immediate focus is on the artist's technique with oil paint. Notice the layered textures, creating a tactile quality especially in the fabric and floral details. What kind of labor went into layering those materials? We should also note how the commercial availability of oil paint allowed for this level of detail, quite different from pre-industrial pigments. Editor: So, the *how* it's made really matters, right? Curator: Absolutely. And consider the subject: a figure holding a flower amidst a constructed abundance. This speaks to a consumerist drive, even a fantasy, that relies on specific production processes. How are these flowers produced and obtained? Editor: That makes me think about the artificiality of it all – it's *too* perfect. Curator: Precisely! And doesn't that push against Romanticism by emphasizing the manufactured and composed aspects? This isn’t simply about the individual artist’s vision, but about the social forces and availability of materials that enable such a vision. What would it mean if this were an image created through digital means? Would that make the artwork better because labor wasn't involved, or worse because it distances the viewer from the human connection? Editor: That’s such a shift in perspective. It really flips the idea of "romanticism" on its head! I thought the value was in the personal emotion, not the materials. Curator: By examining the materiality and means of production, we confront the social implications inherent in art. Editor: It makes you think about everything surrounding the artwork, not just what's on the canvas!