Powdered Silica 

Editor: Here we have 'Powdered Silica' by Howe & French, Inc. It appears to be… well, silica, in a jar and as a paint swatch. It feels almost like a readymade. What am I missing here? Curator: Consider the labor and politics embedded in materials. Silica, seemingly neutral, connects to histories of extraction, industrial production, and even health crises. Where was it mined, by whom, and under what conditions? The label directs our inquiry, doesn't it? Editor: So, this isn't just about the object itself, but about the systems that create it. It's like a quiet protest against… something. Curator: Precisely. It invites us to question the seemingly innocuous materials that constitute our world and the power dynamics they embody. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about. Thanks!