Ultramarine Ash - Blue 

Editor: Here we have "Ultramarine Ash - Blue," by James Newman. It looks to be pigment in a jar next to a painted sample. What can you tell me about this fascinating display of material? Curator: Notice that this isn't just a color sample; it's a manufactured product. The label even lists the chemical formula! Think about the social implications of mass-producing art materials, and who this serves. Editor: That’s a great point. It makes you consider the labor that goes into making art accessible. Curator: Exactly. And the cultural value we place on both the final artwork and the components that make it possible. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way before. It's more than just the color, it's about the entire system of production. Curator: Precisely. It’s a material history lesson.