Purple Gate 1975

Editor: So, this is Friedel Dzubas’s “Purple Gate,” painted in 1975, and looks like it's acrylic on canvas. The colors feel really muted, almost like they're bleeding into each other. I am intrigued by the different planes. What strikes you most when you look at it? Curator: Immediately, I see a focus on the materiality of the paint itself. The broad strokes and visible layers of color showcase the process of application. Consider the context of its creation in the mid-70s. What does the application of acrylic, and the choice to leave visible brushstrokes, say about Dzubas’s engagement with post-war ideas of art production and labor? Editor: I see what you mean. It's not trying to hide the fact that it's made of paint, unlike some of the earlier abstract expressionists. Were artists moving away from the heroic ideal of painting at that time? Curator: Precisely! The emphasis shifted towards the inherent properties of the materials and a rejection of illusionism. What happens when we shift our attention to the individual planes of color? Do you perceive different densities in each application? Think about how Dzubas has deployed thin washes of color as compared to thick applications, what work is he asking those materials to do? Editor: That makes me consider the areas where the colors blend together; the pink almost disappears into the white of the canvas, creating an almost atmospheric quality, juxtaposed to the bolder planes of blue. It’s like he's showcasing the paint's ability to be both transparent and opaque. Curator: Exactly! By exploring the properties of acrylic paint in this way, Dzubas elevates the material itself to the subject of the work, commenting on artistic labour through this active production. Editor: So, "Purple Gate" is less about representing something and more about presenting the qualities of paint and the artistic process. I'll never look at an abstract painting the same way again. Curator: Right, seeing beyond representation reveals a fascinating commentary on artistic labor and material presence.