The Seasons 1975

Editor: Here we have Brice Marden’s “The Seasons,” painted in 1975, using acrylic paint. The subtle shifts in color from panel to panel give it such a calming effect. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, first I notice the industrial nature of the materials. Acrylic paint, developed for commercial purposes, becomes high art. Marden is very deliberate here, challenging the hierarchy between what is considered fine art and what is just common material produced for general consumption. He elevates the everyday. Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn’t really considered the…*ordinariness* of acrylic paint. So, the color choices… how do those fit into that? Curator: The monochrome panels, each subtly different, draw attention to the material itself. The making becomes the subject. How did he manipulate the paint to achieve these delicate tones? What kind of layering or mixing was involved? Look closely – what can you see of the artist’s hand in this work? Editor: Now that you mention it, I do see slight variations, little imperfections. It’s not just a flat, perfect surface. Curator: Exactly! It reveals the process, the labor involved. We can consider the work in terms of its production, the movement of materials from factory to studio to museum. That journey shapes its meaning. Editor: So it’s about more than just color and form; it’s about questioning how art is made and valued. Curator: Precisely. By focusing on material and method, Marden makes us reconsider what we define as art, its economic lifecycle. Editor: That completely changes my perspective on minimalism! I appreciate it so much more now that I understand the layers of labor embedded in the piece. Curator: And I hope you'll carry that curiosity to consider art's production within systems of class, economics, and material conditions as you encounter new works of art.