The study of a work of art can be used as a method of understanding the historical period in which it was created. Not only can a painting be appreciated for its beauty or its message, but if we know the date of its creation, for whom it was created and why it was created, then we learn something about the politics and society behind its inception. For example we can learn much about the court of King Henry VIII of England by studying the paintings of Hans Holbein the Younger.
Goshka Macuga turns this process completely around, where a piece of artwork on display is actually formed by items associated with a historical period. For example a museum display cabinet containing items from the 1930’s is in itself a piece of artwork in an exhibition. The separate items in the cabinet are equivalent to the different colours and tones in a painting.
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