Night of the Red Wind 1978

Editor: Alice Baber’s "Night of the Red Wind," created in 1978 with acrylic paint, presents such a fluid, dreamlike world. The earthy colors swirling around almost create a sense of warmth, yet also a hint of melancholy. What catches your eye when you look at this piece? Curator: Ah, Baber. She throws you headfirst into the liminal space, doesn't she? What I see here isn't just color – it's feeling. Like those nights when the wind howls just a little too loud and stirs up forgotten corners of your mind. There’s a tension between the playful shapes, like spilled jewels, and that deeper unease bubbling beneath. Almost a joyful lament. Does that resonate at all with your initial impression? Editor: Definitely, especially the “joyful lament” aspect. I can see both the lightness of the colors and shapes, and the overall title makes me think of something darker. Was she trying to evoke a specific feeling, or leave it more open to interpretation? Curator: That’s the beautiful enigma of abstract expressionism, isn’t it? Baber was likely pulling from her own inner landscape, the push and pull of emotions that make up our internal weather patterns. She was quoted saying once that color could sing; here, it seems it also whispers secrets, a language felt more than understood. Editor: That makes me appreciate the title even more now – “Night of the Red Wind.” Like it's not just about what you see, but what you feel in that wind. It really encourages a personal connection with the artwork. Curator: Exactly! It becomes less about the objective and more about that singular, internal experience. What does *your* red wind feel like? What do you carry away from it? Art, after all, is about creating the echo in the viewer. Editor: This piece definitely lingers. Thanks, I see it completely differently now, appreciating how both open and suggestive it is. Curator: My pleasure! It is always so fun to have my perception jostled. Maybe that is what the "Red Wind" does!