Messing 1971

Editor: So, this is Dieter Roth's "Messing," a small print in the Tate collection. I’m struck by the layers of technical drawing and seemingly random lines. What do you make of the composition and the artist's process here? Curator: The "Messing" embodies Roth’s materialist sensibility, challenging the perceived value of the art object itself. The mechanical and seemingly discarded elements are not just aesthetic choices, but indicators of production, labor, and potentially, planned obsolescence. How do you see the relationship between the precise, almost industrial marks and the more chaotic, freehand lines? Editor: I guess the contrast shows a deconstruction of the idea of functional design? Like mocking mass-produced, standardized items? Curator: Precisely. Roth often used ephemeral materials, questioning the permanence associated with "high" art. This piece prompts us to consider the social context of production and the value we place on both process and product. An interesting take!