Outskirts 1951

Editor: So this is “Outskirts” by Tsuguharu Foujita, made in 1951 using ink and painting on paper. It looks like a city street scene, maybe Paris? It has a melancholy feel to me. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see an exploration of the everyday labour embedded within the urban landscape. Notice the specific use of ink and paint; Foujita isn't aiming for photorealistic representation. Instead, it highlights the means of production itself. What kind of labour do you see represented? Editor: Well, there are people gathered near those canopies - it looks like some sort of market, perhaps? And the figure carrying ladders seems to suggest maintenance or construction. Curator: Precisely. And think about the materials: paper, ink, paint. Readily available, mass-produced. How does Foujita elevate them to the realm of art? He is prompting a conversation on the role of labor both within the subject of the image and in its own production. Do you think he challenges a divide of "high art" versus more quotidian image production? Editor: I think so. By focusing on commonplace scenes and using accessible materials, he brings art closer to the everyday experience. He seems interested in democratizing art in some way. Curator: Indeed, this challenges notions of artistic genius, doesn’t it? We focus less on individual artistic flair, and more on a commentary around the social fabric held together through different sorts of activities. Now what if he had chosen oils on canvas? Editor: Interesting point! Oil on canvas would give it a sense of grandiosity that these humble materials avoid. It forces you to think about the subject matter first and what those inhabitants' experience in Paris might be. Curator: Exactly. We see art less as an untouchable object and more as a reflection of a particular context through deliberate choice of labor, and in the art making production. Editor: I never would have considered that materials could inform the subject so deeply! Thanks for showing me that, I've got much to consider. Curator: And I appreciate your perspective. Thinking about audience and access can bring new layers to art analysis!