Polar No. 1 1961

Curator: Toni Onley's "Polar No. 1," held here at the Tate, presents a fascinating abstract landscape. It’s quite a large piece. Editor: My first impression is one of fractured light and shadow. It's unsettling, like looking at a memory fading at the edges. Curator: Notice how Onley uses geometric shapes and muted colors, predominantly blues and grays, to evoke the Arctic landscape. There's a deliberate fragmentation at play. Editor: Yes, it reminds me of shattered glaciers and the harsh beauty of a place both alluring and unforgiving, and yet I wonder about the title...are these really ‘polar’ qualities? Curator: Perhaps "polar" refers not only to the geographic location but also the emotional contrasts—the starkness and the fragility. A study of the balance of tension and calm. Editor: I find that convincing. Looking at "Polar No. 1" makes me question how we perceive and remember environments threatened by change. Something about it feels like a warning. Curator: I agree. It serves as a striking reminder of the delicate balance within these remote regions.