Sür #8 1999

Editor: This is "Sür #8" by Douglas Abdell, created in 1999, a mixed media sculpture that combines carved stone and wood. The contrast between the rough, heavy wooden base and the precisely carved stone on top is quite striking. What do you see in this piece, beyond the initial visual impression? Curator: The first thing that catches my eye is the emphasis on process. The use of wood and stone immediately references the labor involved in acquiring and shaping those materials. The work challenges traditional notions of artistic skill. Instead of prioritizing illusionism or expressive gesture, Abdell directs our attention to the act of making, the physical engagement with the materials. Editor: I see what you mean about the labor involved, especially given the geometric precision of the carving against the more raw form of the wood. Curator: Precisely! Think about the historical context. What societal structures are necessary to extract raw materials, process them, and then elevate them into a context that is usually not accessible to everyone? And this contrast, how would you connect those materials with ideas around value, what has value to whom? Editor: It really prompts a consideration of value—who determines it and how it is assigned. And even challenges that notion of high art by showing the process in this way! It has changed my mind on initial impressions. Curator: Exactly. This work acts as a reminder to scrutinize not just what we see, but how it came to be and for whose benefit.