Mars Violet 

Editor: This is “Mars Violet,” manufactured by Zimmerman. It seems to be a jar filled with purple pigment, sitting next to a color calibration card. How do you interpret this work, considering it's in the Harvard Art Museums? Curator: It's fascinating to consider this object within an institutional context. The very act of displaying a manufactured pigment elevates it, questioning traditional notions of art. Editor: So, is the museum highlighting the industrial production of art materials? Curator: Precisely! It prompts us to consider the broader socio-economic structures that enable art making. What is the relationship between industry, commerce, and artistic creation? Editor: I see. It makes you think about the raw materials behind the finished artwork. Curator: Indeed. The museum is inviting us to contemplate not just the final product, but also the often-overlooked origins of color itself. Editor: I never would have thought about pigment this way. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. It's about understanding the system, not just the surface.