Composition 1979

Curator: Jean Le Moal created this work, titled "Composition", in 1979 using acrylic paint and, judging by the texture, likely applied in thick impasto layers. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: It feels like an explosion frozen in time, perhaps. The color palette is vibrant but also somehow constrained, and the strokes convey a lot of kinetic energy despite being static on the canvas. Curator: Consider the physical act of applying that paint. Le Moal's gestures, the specific brand and batch of acrylic, the tools he used...each contribute to the final outcome. We can almost visualize his movements, the deliberate, yet impulsive nature of the process. Acrylic, a relatively new medium then, allowed for rapid layering and quick drying. Editor: Indeed. And how that access shapes what is being communicated: expressionism within abstraction allows emotional resonance – especially powerful given it was made in the late 70s, during a moment of political tensions. Does the material or the process inform the socio-political impact on art creation? I see struggle, perhaps, within this whirlwind of color and texture. A tension between chaos and structure that mirrors larger social anxieties. Curator: The availability and accessibility of acrylic paint as opposed to traditional oil paints shifted artistic practices too. It became a tool that was easier to handle for emerging artists, democratizing access to production of painting to the broader public. A cheaper option that enabled people to start the making. Editor: Definitely, and the shift away from traditional techniques opens avenues for broader audiences and voices, doesn't it? It democratizes not just the making but potentially the viewing and interpretation too, making art less of a rarified practice that requires certain types of labour and knowledge. Curator: Precisely. Each paint stroke carries weight in understanding materiality and its potential when adopted for expressionist painting! The artwork’s surface speaks volumes about art and production, and labour too! Editor: Reflecting on "Composition," I am struck by how Le Moal captures a restless moment, perhaps of both artistic freedom, but also anxiety surrounding cultural transformations within labour conditions, especially for marginalized communities, when producing art. Curator: And I am intrigued by how he managed to find a balance between impulsive gestures with carefully laid down materials! This piece is a striking manifestation of both.