Untitled - Abstract 

Curator: Here we have an acrylic painting by Will Barnet, titled simply "Untitled - Abstract." Editor: The composition feels incredibly poised, doesn't it? Despite the apparent simplicity of these geometric forms, there's a real sense of visual equilibrium. I am getting a modern, but also calm vibe here. Curator: Indeed. Barnet’s engagement with hard-edge painting principles is evident. Note how each form's boundaries are rigorously defined. We can appreciate his acute sensitivity to the painting's overall structure— the push and pull of positive and negative space. Editor: I'm struck by how even these seemingly detached shapes suggest a kind of symbolic order. Is it possible this work alludes to more fundamental structures – perhaps architecture, the cosmos or a fragmented figure? What's interesting is the grey triangle looks very much like a symbol representing knowledge. Is this a reference, perhaps, to Platonic solids? Curator: It could be! It certainly opens that interpretation. The beauty here lies in Barnet’s ability to synthesize geometric abstraction with a subtle invocation of universally recognized shapes. I'm intrigued by your invocation of the cosmos. What do you make of the shape at the top? It doesn't have sharp angles. It has almost, an egg like quality. Editor: Well, precisely! We tend to assume "abstraction" is devoid of symbolism, but shapes resonate within us whether we like it or not. An egg is the vessel from which the universe bursts forth, or maybe it is just evocative of a mind and its capacity to explore new knowledge! I feel its about how our subconscious understands the idea of creation, and potential. Curator: Interesting. For me it creates the sense of almost floating over an organized city. It's striking how Barnet balances these formal considerations with such a light touch of color theory here too. The brown, white and blue. Editor: And how they evoke particular feelings! The deep brown creating a feeling of earthy stability. Well, whether it's alluding to architectural principles, cosmogony, or geometry, the longer one looks the more emerges. Curator: A testament to Barnet's unique artistic sensibility; an interplay of form, line and yes, the subtlest undercurrent of symbolic content. Editor: An image that begins with its clean and precise execution and unfolds from there.