Edgehill 1962

Editor: Here we have John Plumb's "Edgehill," currently held in the Tate collection. I’m struck by how the stark white quadrants contrast with the layered bands of color running horizontally. What materials might Plumb have used to achieve this effect, and how does that inform the work's meaning? Curator: I look at the process: What kind of labor went into this? What tools and techniques were used? Knowing this was likely produced with industrial paints and precise masking gives us a sense of Plumb engaging with mass production aesthetics, questioning the preciousness often associated with "high art." Editor: So, the meaning isn't just in the image itself, but in the industrial process of its creation? Curator: Precisely. It challenges the traditional art hierarchy by embracing the materials and methods of commercial production. Editor: That definitely gives me a new perspective. I’ll be thinking about the labor behind the art from now on!