Dé-coll/age Accident 1966

Editor: This is Wolf Vostell's "Dé-coll/age Accident." It's a print, but the image is so jarring, a mangled car wreck rendered in vivid pinks and purples, with figures standing around the scene. What can you tell me about its context? Curator: Vostell was a key figure in the Fluxus movement, interested in the role of art in reflecting and critiquing modern society. This work seems to visualize the disruptive force of technology. Consider how post-war societies grappled with mass media and its often-violent imagery. Editor: So, the vibrant colors contrast with the dark subject matter to make us consider society's relationship to destruction? Curator: Precisely. The "dé-coll/age" technique, akin to tearing or defacing, mirrors the fragmentation of both the image and perhaps, societal values in the face of technological advancement. What do you make of the figures in the background? Editor: It's interesting how they are almost detached, observing the accident as if they're watching television. I see what you mean; it’s like he's commenting on our desensitization. Curator: Right, a commentary on the spectacle of disaster and its place in our culture. Editor: Thank you, I'll never look at an image the same way again.