Russian II 1975

Editor: This is Richard Smith's *Russian II*. It's undated, but the Tate tells us it's made from paper and canvas. It looks like a deconstructed painting, almost like layers of raw material. What's your take on this piece? Curator: The materiality is key here. Smith draws our attention to the physical processes of art making. How do the paper and canvas relate, not just as support and image, but as commodities, objects of consumption in themselves? Editor: So, you're saying it's less about what it represents and more about what it *is* made of? Curator: Precisely. It challenges the traditional hierarchy of painting, forcing us to confront the labor and materials that constitute it. What do you think about the string? Editor: It makes me think about construction and deconstruction, and how it implicates us. Curator: Exactly! It certainly gives one something to reflect on.