Mision Nuestra Senora La Reina de Los Angeles 

Editor: This is a pencil drawing entitled "Mision Nuestra Senora La Reina de Los Angeles" by James Jones. It renders the facade of the old Mission. What strikes me is how detailed and almost architectural the drawing is. What can you tell us about this piece? Curator: This drawing invites us to consider the labor involved in representing architecture. The meticulous pencil work transforms the mission into an object of careful scrutiny. I wonder about the social context, how Jones chose to portray the building itself as a set of constituent building blocks with clear attention given to stone size. The artist transforms an image into material, which creates an experience that is unique to each viewing. Editor: So you are suggesting the artist is making us aware of how the building was built through the drawing technique itself? Curator: Precisely. This rendering focuses on the material presence of the mission. Jones seems particularly interested in representing it less as a spiritual center and more as a physical object constructed through human effort, piece by piece. In fact, the work does not show us what sits *behind* the Mission's front but is concerned only with its materiality. Editor: That's interesting. I initially just saw a straightforward depiction of a historical building. But when looking at the materiality, I see how an artistic choice transforms how we see the building, making it an assembly. Thanks for that insight! Curator: My pleasure! Looking closely at the means of production always shifts our perception.