Silver Series X 2001

Editor: This is Joan Witek's "Silver Series X," currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. I’m really struck by how the grid almost disappears into the black. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: The key here is process and materiality. Notice the repetitive nature of the grid and the evident labor involved in its creation. How does this repetitive process, this act of making, inform your understanding of the artwork? Editor: I hadn't thought of it like that. The labor almost feels meditative. Curator: Exactly! And consider the social context – how does Witek's choice of materials and this meticulous process challenge the traditional idea of what constitutes 'high art'? Editor: It blurs the lines between art and craft, maybe questioning the value we place on certain types of labor. Thanks, I see it in a whole new light now! Curator: Precisely. It’s about engaging with the artwork as a product of labor and material choices.