Sun邦oon 1970

Curator: Let's turn our attention to "Sun\u90a6oon," an acrylic painting crafted in 1970 by Abdul Mati Klarwein. At first glance, what resonates with you, particularly? Editor: Wow, okay. My immediate thought? Intense. The faces emerging, intertwined... and that landscape bleeding into outer space? My senses feel almost overloaded. Curator: Klarwein was known for his blend of surrealism and pop art. Notice how the faces – different shades, conjoined – suggest themes of unity or perhaps a merging of consciousness. These symbolic motifs reflect a counter-cultural interest in interconnectedness and higher states of being that ran deep in the late 60s and early 70s. Editor: Yes! It's like a visual mantra or something. All these bodies and landscapes morphing… it's unsettling yet calming somehow, like staring into the sun, even though you know you shouldn't. The colours too; the earthiness alongside the cosmic violet feels deliberate. Like a tug-of-war between reality and something beyond it. And then, the hands clasped overhead are like an invocation. It looks both protective and slightly threatening, like ‘I got you' meets 'surrender.’ Curator: It is remarkable how those colors echo across cultures, tapping into something universal, a shared language. Even the radiating sun symbol at the top acts as a signal— a focal point resonating far beyond the canvas. In my perspective, each symbol functions as an archetype within a collective unconscious. Editor: Absolutely! And that warped, almost fleshy figure to the left… It is like some prehistoric entity or alien form observing us! Curator: The incorporation of such forms reveals an ongoing curiosity surrounding our place within larger, often unseen cosmic narratives, common in many cultural cosmologies. Editor: It definitely prompts you to think bigger. Makes you realize you are part of a tapestry you can't even fully comprehend. Looking closer, the smoothness of the flesh alongside the rough terrain also enhances that sense of disorientation… of being untethered. Overall, there’s definitely something deeply psychedelic here. Curator: It is, undeniably, an invitation to traverse new landscapes – both internal and external. I hope listeners are feeling inspired to ask questions, reconsider established truths, and embrace ambiguity. Editor: Yeah, ambiguity—that's a great word for it. It's like Klarwein created this elaborate, dreamlike riddle for us to unravel, knowing full well we'll never get the *one true answer.* The point is to *feel* our way through it and let the mystery do its work.