Creation of the World IX 1906

Editor: So, this is Ciurlionis's "Creation of the World IX" from 1906, oil on canvas. It feels quite dreamlike, almost otherworldly. I am drawn to the texture. What are your thoughts when you see it? Curator: Well, considering Ciurlionis’s context, look at the sheer physicality of the oil paint application itself. It wasn’t merely about depicting a scene. He's manipulating the material, oil paint, to explore ideas about creation and, arguably, the very process of making art. What does that material process suggest to you? Editor: It almost seems rushed or urgent. It looks like the process of applying the paint was just as important as what was being represented. Do you think that relates to a challenge of art-making at the time? Curator: Absolutely. The emphasis on the materiality directly challenges the traditional hierarchy separating "high art" from craft, you know? Consider also how Ciurlionis intertwines musical structures with visual forms, perhaps commenting on a synesthetic sensory overload within a changing world of industrial materials. What meaning do you extract when understanding Ciurlionis as a musical composer first? Editor: Interesting, because seeing that, I begin to notice some of the musical flow with its repeating landscape of flora and fauna and I better understand the creative work. Is it accurate to consider the availability and new formulations of paint pigments as possibly influencing such vibrant application of medium? Curator: Definitely. This allows us to investigate the networks of supply and demand involved in artistic creation. It is important to understand the economic basis upon which artistic labor thrives! Thanks for giving the opportunity to reflect with you. Editor: Agreed, it is all about labor and the materiality of the artist working, not the genius!