Church of the Minorites II 

Editor: So, this is Lyonel Feininger's "Church of the Minorites II," an oil painting located right here at the Walker. It feels so fragmented and… almost architectural. I'm fascinated by how he uses light. What catches your eye? Curator: Well, as a materialist, I am drawn to consider the *making* of this painting. Think about Feininger's process. He uses oil paint – a substance that was, and remains, industrially produced, relying on exploited labor across continents. How does his use of geometry relate to the industrialization of architecture? Do you notice the sharp angles used? Editor: I do, now that you mention it. They definitely evoke a sense of constructed space, but also almost… broken up? Curator: Exactly! And look at the title itself – "Church of the Minorites II." It is *second*. It suggests a reproduction, maybe even a mass production of a spiritual idea. Does it lose something in its repetition? Think of it as Feininger questioning the Church’s power in society at that time. Editor: That’s a really interesting take. So you're saying the materials and the way he's put them together are not just about *how* it looks but also commenting on society? Curator: Precisely! The paint is not just pigment, but a product of complex social systems. By depicting architecture in such a fragmented, almost "manufactured" style, he critiques traditional values and how these are absorbed in consumerism, and transforms spiritual spaces into marketable ones. What are your thoughts? Editor: Wow, I never considered how deeply ingrained socio-political ideas were within artmaking, impacting something even as 'simple' as building with geometrical lines. It definitely opens a new perspective on viewing Feininger’s painting! Curator: Indeed, art is so much more than simply something nice to view - It is something that asks difficult and uncomfortable questions!