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Editor: This untitled painting by Menez depicts two figures, seemingly a mother and daughter, rendered in oil paint. I'm really struck by the flatness and almost naive style, despite the sophisticated handling of paint. What stands out to you most when you look at this piece? Curator: I notice first the raw materiality of the oil paint itself, and how Menez deploys it to flatten and simplify the figures. This draws my attention to the act of *making*. Think about the artist’s studio – the physical labour involved in mixing pigments, layering the paint, the very conscious decision to *not* blend everything smoothly. Do you see how this relates to societal hierarchies? Editor: I think so, it’s like Menez is rejecting the traditional art world’s emphasis on skill and polish. Curator: Exactly! Menez pushes back against the polished "high art" associated with wealth, and in doing so elevates the "lower" art of process. Note how he is rejecting a slick surface in favor of raw application of pigment, a deliberate choice which draws attention to production, like early modernists. What about the social context of these figures? Editor: They seem confined somehow. I wonder if their position mirrors limitations or stifled opportunities within the family or even broader society, especially for women. Curator: An insightful observation. Consider also who has the means and leisure to pose for a painting like this – even an “unfinished” one – versus those engaged in daily labor? Does that inform how you understand this piece? Editor: I guess I hadn’t thought about that side of portraiture. The rough materiality is a kind of statement then, a reminder of the physical world and the labor usually obscured in fine art. Curator: Precisely! Menez reframes our understanding of representation and asks us to question the values we place on different forms of labor and creation. Editor: It makes you think about what gets valued, and who gets left out of the picture, both literally and figuratively! Curator: It’s about uncovering and understanding art’s connection to our material and social realities.