Untitled 

Editor: This “Untitled” piece is a charcoal and oil painting by Zoe Lerman. The figures seem huddled together, and I’m immediately drawn to the bold, expressive brushstrokes, particularly the contrast between light and shadow. What do you see in this piece from a formal perspective? Curator: The dynamism lies primarily in the composition and the artist's application of media. Note the strategic use of impasto, especially around the figures, which introduces a textural counterpoint to the smoother passages. The curvilinear brushstrokes, visible in the background, create a sense of movement, drawing the eye around the canvas and back towards the central cluster of forms. How does this formal device inform your understanding of the work's emotional content? Editor: It definitely amplifies the feeling of unease and maybe even chaos surrounding the figures, heightening their isolation. The thick texture makes them feel almost trapped, as though they are sinking in quicksand. Do you think the lack of a defined background serves a purpose, perhaps emphasizing the figures' psychological state over a physical setting? Curator: Precisely. The ambiguous space necessitates a deeper focus on the internal relations within the artwork. Without environmental cues, we are forced to engage with the formal attributes: line, shape, and the relationships between forms, and the tonal modulations created through chiaroscuro. Do you observe any significant patterns in these formal relationships? Editor: The contrasting diagonal strokes throughout give it great energy. It makes me notice how their faces are obscured, almost lost in the broader composition, and there are echoes in how forms break down throughout the background. So is it the distortion itself which becomes meaningful here? Curator: Yes, exactly. By attending closely to the work’s internal structure and composition, we recognize how it visually evokes emotional states through formal arrangement, revealing how technique itself becomes a carrier of meaning. Editor: So, beyond representing figures, the artist manipulates the medium itself to evoke feelings and ideas through pure form. Curator: Precisely. Through formalist inquiry, we decode how the artist's technical skill generates artistic value through manipulation of media.