La courve bleue 1965

Editor: We are looking at "La Courbe Bleue" by Jesus Rafael Soto, made in 1965 from metal. The sculpture is mesmerizing, this accumulation of parallel lines shifting subtly! How should we approach an understanding of this piece? Curator: As a Materialist, I look at the labor embedded in its construction and how Soto transforms industrial material into something that seems almost alive. Consider the sheer repetition involved in aligning each element – what kind of labor conditions are suggested here? What are the implications of using industrial material to generate "organic" textures? Editor: So, instead of thinking about artistic intention, we think about where these materials came from and the process to shape them? It's like considering the unseen hands behind the art. Curator: Precisely! The smooth surfaces and careful spacing imply a level of precision potentially at odds with the unpredictable qualities associated with organic life. Where does that contradiction leave us in understanding the values being embodied within this aesthetic experience? Also, how might it relate to prevailing consumerism in the 1960s, considering materiality, accessibility, and replication of parts? Editor: So, it makes us think about art as product and challenges the boundaries between art, craft and production, doesn’t it? Curator: Absolutely. We’re invited to examine the object beyond aesthetic appreciation; instead, we confront questions of social, economic, and labor context woven directly into the physical construction. By what means can art question consumption if the same elements involved with consumerism shape artmaking? Editor: This piece certainly offers a lot to consider! Now, I’m keen to think beyond what meets the eye and explore the artwork's industrial and societal context. Curator: Yes! I agree we uncovered novel ideas around the values and the manufacturing and that shaped Soto’s work.