Illuminated Page (Feuille orée) 1972

Editor: This is Pierre Alechinsky's "Illuminated Page," a mixed-media lithograph and print from 1972. It looks like some kind of calligraphy, maybe a language I don’t understand, with that ornate border. I wonder, what do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, Alechinsky. You're right, it does have that calligraphic feel, a dance of marks hinting at something just beyond reach. He’s like a playful cartographer mapping a land of pure sensation. I like how the frenetic energy of the central image is grounded by the somewhat whimsical, almost goofy border. The frame isn’t just a frame, it's part of the conversation. Editor: A conversation? How so? Curator: Well, look at those almost cartoonish images along the border – those faces and figures seem to be observing, commenting on the main event within. Like a Greek chorus, adding layers of meaning. Does the main event, that calligraphy, maybe mean something specific? Or do you think it means to express feeling alone? Editor: I’m not sure… I guess I thought of it as pure abstraction, but you’re right, there are little figures watching... maybe they are telling a story? Curator: Precisely! He's inviting us to play, to let our imaginations loose and fill in the blanks. And consider this was made in '72. Art Informel was a major movement in the 40’s and 50’s. Yet here Alechinsky is two decades later playing and riffing on his forbears but always in his singular playful way. Is the frame something that tethers him, keeps him linked? Maybe. He's not afraid to embrace ambiguity. He likes to leave breadcrumbs that you might be able to pick up! Editor: That makes me see it in a totally different light. So much more than just abstract shapes; it's like a stage with actors! Curator: Exactly! Now, go forth and find more stages! The world is full of them.