Kia 1980

Editor: Here we have Olle Baertling’s "Kia" from 1980, rendered in acrylic on paper. The geometric shapes immediately strike me, there's something really dynamic about the sharp lines against those bold colours. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a careful construction of a symbolic language. The severe angles could be read as destabilizing forces, yet the crisp black lines seem to exert control. What effect do you think that interplay creates? Editor: Maybe a feeling of controlled chaos? Or even pent-up energy straining against its constraints. Curator: Precisely. Consider the cultural associations of color too. In some traditions, purple represents royalty, wisdom, or spirituality. The almost aggressive shade could signify the pushing of boundaries; those sleek lines might convey order or a desire for precision, ideals so cherished during the Modernist period. Baertling isn't merely arranging shapes, he’s summoning powerful concepts deeply embedded in our collective psyche. Editor: So it’s more than just surface-level abstraction? Curator: Exactly. These geometric shapes evoke more than meets the eye. Think about hard-edge painting, the clean and sharp colour fields! It has symbolic potential. It uses symbols, but doesn't necessarily spell things out plainly for the viewer. Editor: It’s fascinating how simple forms can contain such complexity. I’ll never look at geometric abstraction the same way! Curator: I hope you realize those symbols are culturally contingent and open to interpretation based on time, personal experiences and cultural knowledge. Thank you for sharing these rich thoughts with me today.