Rhodamine, Cerise Toner 1941

Editor: Here we have Rhodamine, Cerise Toner, manufactured by Imperial Paper & Color Corp. It seems to be a sample of pigment, with the raw powder in a jar and a painted swatch. What strikes you about the composition? Curator: The juxtaposition of the raw pigment and its application invites contemplation. The granular texture of the powder contrasts with the smooth, almost striated surface of the painted sample. Notice the shift in tonality from the upper to the lower portion of the swatch, perhaps due to the linseed oil. Editor: So, the material properties themselves are the focus? Curator: Precisely. The work directs our attention to the fundamental elements of art-making: pigment, binder, and support. The labeling acts as a kind of anti-aesthetic gesture, a stark reminder of the industrial production behind artistic creation. Editor: I see how the work reveals its own construction. Thanks! Curator: Indeed, a fascinating object lesson in the poetics of materiality.