[no title] c. 2001 - 2007

Editor: This untitled work by León Ferrari appears to be a newspaper clipping detailing the discovery of a murdered couple on a beach. The starkness of the black and white print, along with the disturbing content, creates a sense of unease. What do you see in this piece? Curator: As a materialist, I note the process. Ferrari, appropriating newsprint, forces a confrontation between the detached language of journalism and the raw horror of political violence. It reflects the consumption of tragedy as everyday information. The means of production and dissemination are key. How does the ready-made nature of the clipping affect its reception, do you think? Editor: I suppose it highlights how easily we can become desensitized to violence when it's presented as just another news item. Thanks, that gives me a lot to consider about its creation. Curator: Indeed, by repurposing this document, Ferrari implicates the media in the circulation, and even normalization, of state-sponsored terror. A potent statement on the materials of power.