Drawing for "48" Standards" 1969 - 1972

Editor: Here we have Mel Bochner's "Drawing for '48' Standards’". It's just two rectangles with measurements, almost like a blueprint. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see Bochner questioning the nature of art production. The "drawing" is less about aesthetics and more about instruction, blurring the line between artistic creation and industrial specification. The materiality of the paper itself becomes a ground for this investigation. Editor: So, the focus is on the act of measuring and planning, rather than the final product? Curator: Exactly. The means of production is highlighted. It challenges the viewer to consider the labor and the systems inherent in making anything, art included. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! Considering the materials and the making really opens up new perspectives.