Gamboge 1927

Editor: Here we see "Gamboge," manufactured by James Newman. It appears to be pigment in a bottle, with a color chart alongside. What can you tell me about this material? Curator: I see pigment, yes, but I also see labor and history. Gamboge, a resin from Southeast Asia, speaks to colonial trade routes and the exploitation of natural resources. The label, "Newman 1927," points to industrial production, the standardization of color, and its distribution networks. How does this object challenge our understanding of art making? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. It makes me think about the entire lifecycle of art, not just the finished product. Curator: Exactly. Understanding the material's journey illuminates the social and economic structures that underpin artistic creation. Editor: I'll never look at a tube of paint the same way again. Thanks!