[no title: p. 37] 1970

Editor: So, this is "[no title: p. 37]" by Esq Tom Phillips. I find the altered book page and its overlaid text to be visually complex. What do you see in this piece from a materialist viewpoint? Curator: Notice how Phillips transforms an existing book page through layering and manipulation. The obscured text and added phrases redirect the original's purpose, offering a critique of authorship and the consumption of knowledge. What does this alteration suggest about the nature of art production itself? Editor: It feels like he's questioning the value we place on original creation versus reinterpreting existing materials. So, art making as a form of labor rather than divine inspiration? Curator: Precisely. And consider the social context: cheap print media made literature more accessible, and Phillips appropriates that very medium to challenge established artistic hierarchies. The materiality of the discarded and reworked becomes crucial. Editor: I hadn’t thought about it that way, focusing on the physical process opens up entirely new perspectives. Thanks!