Manetta 1984

Curator: "Manetta" by Valerie Jaudon from 1984 hits you immediately, doesn't it? The use of geometric forms, bold lines, and the high contrast between the blue and black gives it a definite visual punch. Editor: Yes, my initial impression is one of controlled chaos, if that makes sense. The severe geometry softened by a sort of textured or layered feel creates an optical vibration, quite interesting. Curator: It's the meeting point between order and freedom, quite characteristic of Jaudon's engagement with Postmodernism. Jaudon worked with acrylic on canvas here, developing pattern repetitions and layering effects characteristic of Op Art, or hard-edge-painting. Think about what was being questioned in the '80s—the divide between design, craft, and high art for example. Editor: Absolutely. And in terms of its formalism, you've got this interplay of linear perspective. The eye is constantly being led in and out of depth—but what's being communicated by that constant shifting of planes, what is Jaudon suggesting beyond just optical experience? Curator: It speaks to deconstruction of traditional notions of pictorial space but also reflects Jaudon's broader engagement with the architectural vernacular, using repeated motifs found in ornamentation and decoration. I imagine a lot of detailed preliminary studies went into this. Considering material means—scaffolding for the painting production, even her sources are largely architectural drawing references. Editor: That makes perfect sense. It is like she is creating a symbolic structure—a system of signs, where these patterns become codified elements in her formal language. Curator: It gives an alternative language with historical roots beyond painting, too. A different kind of labor. Editor: Yes. Seeing "Manetta" encourages one to revisit our ideas about aesthetic structures. There’s an architectural sense of strength within the canvas. Curator: Agreed. "Manetta" provides much for reflecting how visual elements work, within—and beyond—the canvas.