The Boat Series: The Hole 2009

Editor: Here we have Kerry O. Furlani's "The Boat Series: The Hole" from 2009, a mixed-media relief carving, mostly made out of wood. It’s pretty striking how geometric the forms are, especially against the roughly textured background. What's your perspective on how the artist used materials and process here? Curator: The very deliberate use of a labor-intensive process like carving, juxtaposed with such abstract forms, speaks volumes. We need to consider not just what's depicted, but how it was made and why. The choice of wood as a material – and the implied physical effort of removing material to create depth – forces us to consider the act of creation as a kind of slow consumption. Do you notice how the texture emphasizes the hand of the artist? Editor: I do! The grooves and cuts really show the artist's interaction with the wood. So, you’re saying the medium isn’t just a way to represent an idea, but also to add meaning? Curator: Precisely. The artist isn't simply illustrating a 'boat' or a 'hole.' They're engaging with the material properties of wood, the act of carving itself, and even the social implications of resource use and manual labor in an increasingly digital world. Is it craft, or is it art? The piece actively blurs that boundary. Editor: That's a fascinating way to look at it. It makes me consider all the unseen labor that goes into creating things. I'm going to pay more attention to materiality from now on! Curator: And that, perhaps, is the most important lesson this artwork offers. Examining art from the perspective of its making reveals the complex interplay of labor, materials, and meaning.