Cadmium 

Editor: Here we have "Cadmium," made by Charles Roberson and Co. It's a simple jar filled with striking yellow pigment. What can you tell me about the significance of this object? Curator: For me, it highlights the commodification of art. Charles Roberson and Co. weren't artists in the traditional sense but manufacturers, playing a crucial role in the creation of art by providing materials. How does their labor impact our understanding of artistic genius? Editor: So, it shifts the focus from the artist's hand to the broader system of production? Curator: Precisely. This jar represents the industrial processes and global trade networks that enable artmaking. It makes you consider the labor, extraction, and distribution behind every brushstroke, doesn't it? Editor: Definitely. I never thought about it that way. Thanks for pointing that out.