Rogers Grove Apples 2021

Editor: This is "Rogers Grove Apples" by Scott Fraser, created in 2021, using oil paint. It’s very serene, almost minimalist. The apples look incredibly real, you can almost taste them. How would you interpret this work? Curator: Well, immediately I’m drawn to the oil paint, and its physical properties. Consider the artist's labor, applying layer upon layer, manipulating the medium to achieve this hyperrealist effect. Think about the social context: still life paintings often served as displays of wealth. How does that idea of “wealth” shift when the subject is humble, common apples? Editor: That's an interesting point. It doesn't seem traditionally "wealthy." More everyday. Curator: Precisely. It almost elevates the ordinary, doesn’t it? This act of careful, laborious painting forces us to reconsider the apple. And by extension, the means of food production and its value in our lives, in society. Editor: So you see it as making a statement about the value of common things through the skill of making? Curator: Yes, partly. What does it mean to painstakingly recreate an object readily available in any grocery store? The act of making transforms its worth, pointing to larger conversations around consumption and labor in the 21st century. Where does "high art" begin and "craft" end? Fraser challenges these assumptions by imbuing labor into the everyday. Editor: I never thought about it that way. So, beyond just being a pretty picture, it is subtly questioning consumer culture by showing intense effort with everyday objects. Curator: Exactly. It makes me think about the materials, the artist's hand, the value of skilled work. A celebration of craft. Editor: This makes me see the still life tradition completely differently, it’s about way more than beauty and appearance! Curator: Indeed. The making transforms our understanding and it changes the message.