Briggs Land Variant Cover 2017

Curator: This is "Briggs Land Variant Cover" by Robert Sammelin, a drawing created in 2017. There's something about the casualness combined with the obvious violence that I find unsettling. The contrast between her seemingly calm expression and the blood-soaked hand makes me wonder about the narrative implications of the work. How would you interpret the narrative context surrounding it? Editor: Considering its existence as a variant cover for a comic, I find myself drawn to the means of its production and the materials used, rather than focusing on narrative interpretation. We know it is ink on paper. How do the lines contribute to its commodification? Curator: That's an insightful way to approach it. How does the process of creating this drawing – the ink, the paper, the printing – influence its reception and place in the wider context of commodity culture, comic books, and consumerism? Does the 'variant cover' status, designed for collectors, impact the meaning derived from its material qualities? Editor: I believe the concept of the "variant cover" as a collector's item fundamentally alters our understanding. Instead of being mere disposable entertainment, it transforms the artwork into a desirable object with intrinsic value, driven by scarcity and perceived worth. The labour involved – Sammelin's skill, the printing process – directly translates into a financial investment for collectors. Curator: So you see the materiality and production process inextricably linked to its role within a capitalist system? Can we also consider how this impacts the labour of the artist? Does knowing it’s destined to be a collectible influence Sammelin's artistic decisions, potentially altering his creative process based on the demands of the market? Editor: Absolutely, knowing your art will be meticulously scrutinized by collectors could change choices made regarding quality and detail. Thanks for helping me think about this beyond its face value! Curator: It is helpful to think how production influences consumption and perceived value, and how labor can shift between art and industry. A useful line of inquiry!