Figure in a Landscape 

Editor: We’re looking at Ralph Blakelock’s "Figure in a Landscape," an oil painting currently housed at the Phillips Collection. The use of impasto is so heavy; you can practically feel the weight of the paint. What does this piece communicate to you? Curator: The heavy impasto isn't just about the surface. It's about the labor, the sheer physical effort Blakelock invested in building these layers. Considering his struggles with mental health and his eventual institutionalization, one might read the thick paint as a manifestation of his inner turmoil and a strenuous approach to his practice. Look closely – does it challenge our conventional understanding of landscape painting, diverting it towards exploring more internal terrains of mental struggle and manual artistic processes? Editor: That’s fascinating! I hadn't considered the labor aspect so directly. The figure almost disappears into the landscape. Curator: Precisely. What does it mean to subordinate figuration to this tactile, almost sculptural handling of paint? Blakelock wasn’t necessarily interested in accurately depicting a scene; his landscapes are constructed environments that reveal their making through a very specific engagement with oil paint. This focus can make the social standing of ‘mere’ craft equal to the concept of high Art, where process, rather than concept takes center stage. What impact does that observation have on you? Editor: I guess it forces you to confront the reality of the artwork as a constructed object, shaped by a very physical process and mental process. The artwork as work. Not some ethereal creation. Curator: Exactly. And this focus shifts our perspective. We begin to appreciate the process behind art, the physical act of creating, and perhaps even empathize with the artist's struggles embedded in each layer of paint. Editor: That makes so much sense. I’ll never look at impasto the same way again! Thanks for sharing your expertise. Curator: My pleasure. Hopefully, by considering the material processes and social context, we have come to a much wider understanding of Art's ability to both reveal and conceal human labor.