Persian Gulf Red (Mapico Red #110) (Synthetic Iron Oxide) 1941

Curator: Looking at this, I immediately think of rust, of earth... a kind of quiet intensity. Editor: Here we have an intriguing object, "Persian Gulf Red (Mapico Red #110)," manufactured by Binney & Smith Co. It’s essentially a jar of synthetic iron oxide, the pigment itself, paired with a swatch of the color. It brings up questions about industrial production in art. Curator: It's so elemental. A primary color, almost. What stories could it tell? I see deserts, clay, even blood. Editor: Indeed. Consider how this particular pigment, produced on a mass scale, becomes a raw material for artists—shaping how they depict the world and how we then perceive it. The availability and politics of color is deeply embedded in the history of art. Curator: Makes you wonder about the "Persian Gulf" connection. What does that evoke? Editor: The name itself is charged, loaded with geopolitical weight. It prompts us to think about the relationship between art, industry, and global power dynamics. Curator: It makes me want to grab a brush. Editor: For me, it's a reminder that even the simplest elements have a complex history.