Who Looks ... 1961

Editor: Joan-Josep Tharrats's piece, "Who Looks...", presents such a dramatic, almost violent image. I'm curious, what historical context shaped a work like this, especially considering the sociopolitical landscape of its time? Curator: Well, think about the period. Tharrats was working during a time when abstraction was gaining momentum but also facing resistance from more conservative elements within the art world and the political establishment. How might an artist use abstraction to challenge conventional ways of seeing? Editor: Maybe by creating something open to interpretation, it allows for a subtle commentary that might evade direct censorship or criticism? Curator: Exactly! And the title itself, "Who Looks…," prompts us to consider the act of looking, the power dynamics inherent in viewership, and whose gaze is privileged within the art institution. Editor: That's fascinating. It makes me reconsider the role of the viewer and the museum in shaping the meaning of the artwork. Curator: Indeed. Art isn't created in a vacuum. Understanding the sociopolitical forces at play can illuminate the complex layers of meaning embedded within a work like this.