The Pinkest Flowers 

Editor: This painting, "The Pinkest Flowers," is by Walasse Ting. The tags tell me he worked with both acrylic and ink. I'm really struck by the way the colors seem to bleed together, like the paint was still wet when he stopped. What do you make of it? Curator: It's interesting to consider the immediate application of paint here – the liquidity achieved through the materials. What kind of labour was involved in its making? The layering of ink and acrylic suggests a process driven by the characteristics of each, yes? How do you think the choices of medium affect its accessibility, perhaps influencing its marketability and reception? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. I was just thinking about the artistic choice of it, not its sale! So, are you suggesting that Ting’s blending of different media challenges traditional notions of high art because he’s utilizing these everyday materials? Curator: Precisely. Ting seems unconcerned with any pretense of preciousness. The fluid, almost haphazard application points toward a deliberate rejection of highly refined artistic labor. Do you think this attitude aligns him with any particular movement concerning production and value? Editor: Perhaps something like Pop Art? I'm noticing a sense of playfulness here, especially when juxtaposed with more academic styles and techniques. Curator: Indeed! This seemingly effortless aesthetic masks a canny engagement with materiality. Thinking about materiality and social standing makes me interpret those flowers with new appreciation. Thanks for pointing that out. Editor: Definitely. I hadn't considered how much the mediums contribute to how we see art through the lens of commerce and class.