Nr 9 2020

Editor: This piece, "Nr 9" by Armin Andreas Pangerl, was created in 2020, using mixed media, ink and drawings on paper. The overwhelming detail almost overwhelms. I’m struck by how busy it is. What’s your take, Professor? Curator: Indeed, the density is compelling. It is fascinating how Pangerl layers textual and visual elements, blurring the lines between documentation and artistic expression. Notice how the linework seems to build geometric and organic forms simultaneously, then what seems like pure text or diagrams elsewhere. Editor: I see that! Can you elaborate on the function of this seeming cacophony of form? Curator: Formally speaking, it appears that the artist uses the contrast between structured and chaotic mark-making to create visual interest. What do you observe in the relationship between text and image? Editor: It seems the artist isn't really trying to clarify through language and drawing but obscure with symbols. The whole thing starts to look like one huge, single field. Curator: Precisely. The distinction dissolves, causing us to reconsider where and how meaning emerges from a piece. Is meaning something found in it or produced by our perceptions? Is it structured or arbitrary? The forms could equally emerge by themselves! What can we take from this exploration? Editor: I didn’t think about questioning whether I needed to decode meaning. Looking at this piece has made me think about whether there really *is* anything to understand. Curator: A fitting end! Works like "Nr 9" test our presumptions about art, meaning, and ultimately, our role as viewers.