Limonite (yellow ochre) 

Editor: Here we have Limonite, or yellow ochre, made by the Foote Mineral Company. It's presented in a jar, a seemingly simple display. What significance can we find in this presentation of raw pigment? Curator: This isn't just about pigment, it’s about the commodification of the earth. Who has access to these materials? Who profits? The label highlights the company, not the land where the pigment originates. Think about the labor and colonial histories embedded in extracting and selling these “raw” materials. Editor: So, it’s less about the color itself and more about the systems at play? Curator: Exactly. It forces us to question the supposedly neutral presentation of something natural, prompting us to consider power dynamics. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about. It completely changes how I view a seemingly inert object. Curator: It's a reminder that even the simplest materials are products of complex and often unequal systems.