Soul and Tears (Paperblanks Design) 

Curator: Laurel Burch’s “Soul and Tears.” It’s a mixed media piece, watercolor seems pretty apparent... the lines are really striking, almost naive in their simplicity. I'm struck by the duality of sadness and beauty—what do you make of it? Editor: Well, considering a materialist perspective, it strikes me that the very act of layering watercolor creates the textural and emotional complexity we're seeing here. The line work and application of materials—how do these choices speak to the themes in the work? Curator: Excellent question. The “naive” aspect pushes us to consider the artist's process as more intentional in its relation to materiality, and possibly the market... Consider that Burch designed jewelry before these images - how might her relationship to a consumer audience shape the design? Editor: I see what you mean! Thinking about the economic dimension gives it all more nuance. Like how jewelry must be constructed simply for reproducibility, maybe? What would it mean to make emotional art for everyone? Curator: Exactly! What’s striking to me is that in "high" art we typically have to find deeper meanings and value - it is labor for the elites by the elites; but here Burch blurs that line: art, accessible art for all to buy, to own a piece of “soul.” Editor: So the material limitations and possibilities, driven by her artistic intentions, influenced her labor and speaks directly to mass appeal... interesting! I see the tear stains differently now... Curator: Yes! I suppose understanding production changes how we can approach personal narratives from different cultural contexts, maybe decolonizes who decides what “real art” can be? Editor: Definitely something to ponder about production and who art serves and empowers. Thanks for that! Curator: Likewise!