Pariah: The Pariah's Prayer 1924

Editor: Here we see Ernst Barlach's "Pariah: The Pariah's Prayer". The stark lines of the drawing create a palpable sense of anguish. What's your take on this work? Curator: Notice how Barlach uses the lithographic crayon to emphasize the figure's emaciated form and the rough texture of the ground. This speaks to the labor involved in its production. Editor: So you are thinking of Barlach's process? Curator: Yes, and also the societal context. Consider the social and economic disparities of the time, and how they’re implicated in the making and the consumption of this art. How does this artwork function within a system of power and exchange? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered, focusing on the artwork as a material object. Thank you!