Budgerigars 1972

Editor: Here we have Enid Marx's "Budgerigars," currently held at the Tate. I'm struck by the textures created with what looks like watercolor or crayon. What stands out to you in terms of material production? Curator: The printed textile designs Marx was known for actually inform how we can view this piece. The techniques she adopted for block printing – the repetitive nature, the flat colours and limited tonal range – emphasize the means of production, collapsing distinctions between fine art and commercial design. It’s about labor and the replication of image. Editor: So, it’s not just a picture of birds; it's a comment on artistic labor? Curator: Precisely. Consider the cage itself – a manufactured object imposing constraints. It’s a commentary on domesticity and consumption patterns as well. Editor: That’s a fresh perspective; I hadn't considered those implications. Curator: Considering materiality and the social context of production really opens up interpretations, doesn’t it?