Verzameling boekomslagen 1929

Editor: Here we have Tsuda Seifu’s “Verzameling boekomslagen,” or “Collection of Book Covers,” created in 1929. It looks like a mixed-media collage primarily using paper. It strikes me as so subdued; what do you make of such seemingly humble materials presented in this way? Curator: What intrigues me most is considering these materials in relation to their time and place. In 1929, mass production of printed materials was rapidly evolving. What does it mean to elevate these scraps, remnants of consumer culture, to the level of art? Are we meant to consider the labor involved, both in the creation of the original book covers and in Seifu's act of selection and arrangement? Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn't thought about the sheer volume of paper and print circulating at the time. Do you see this as a critique of consumerism, then? Curator: Not necessarily a direct critique, but more an acknowledgement and re-evaluation. Consider the texture of the paper, the printing techniques, the implied content within those covers - each element carries a history of production and consumption. It prompts us to consider the life cycle of these materials and their role in shaping daily life. Also, this could be seen as a rejection of traditional art media. Why paint or sculpt when the detritus of daily life offers so much richness? Editor: So, in a way, the very ordinariness of the materials is what makes it powerful. Curator: Precisely. It challenges our assumptions about value and what constitutes art. It prompts us to see the beauty and significance in the commonplace, the everyday. By using "lowly" paper and bookbinding, Tsuda draws attention to how everything is produced and consumed, and who is part of the creation. Editor: I guess I’ll never look at collage the same way again. This gives a new understanding of "material concerns"! Curator: Exactly! Considering art through the lens of materials opens a whole new world.