[Photo Collage: Musician with Large Brass Horn, Uruguay] 1870 - 1880

Editor: This peculiar piece is a photo collage from 1870-1880 by Juan Pedro Chabalgoity, titled "[Photo Collage: Musician with Large Brass Horn, Uruguay]". It’s currently held at the Met. The exaggerated proportions and pasted-together feel give it such a whimsical, almost surreal quality. What do you see when you look at this work? Curator: It's fascinating to consider the means of production. This collage, a form typically considered craft, elevates a "common" subject into the realm of art. Think about the access to photography required at this time. Who was commissioning this work? And what socio-economic class were they portraying or making fun of? Is this satire for the elites, made by a commoner, or a rich man making fun of the common man, using emerging mass media such as print and photography? Editor: That's a fascinating perspective. I was mostly focusing on the aesthetics, but now I'm curious about the societal impact, such as the economics surrounding this art piece. You're right. Who was the audience for this, and how did they perceive this kind of "low art"? Curator: Exactly. Furthermore, what type of labor was involved? How much did the components cost at the time? Someone had to create the brass horn, then the musician had to work with it, and finally the photographer immortalized him and his musical practice. All were very specialized labors at the time. Editor: That makes me wonder about the value judgments we place on different forms of artistic production today. How the definition of “art” has been molded by both labor and materials used. Curator: Precisely! Thinking about the "stuff" of art making—photography, collage, print—and their circulation is crucial to truly comprehending the social context, labor, and cultural significance of such a unique creation like this one. Editor: I definitely agree! It is almost subversive to realize the many components needed to arrive at what appears to be an approachable artistic result! It gives me so much food for thought.