Diagonal with Black (State) 1981

Curator: Ellsworth Kelly’s "Diagonal with Black (State)" presents a study in stark contrast. The image measures just over 40 centimeters squared. Editor: It strikes me as immediate, almost confrontational in its simplicity. The black seems to press forward. Curator: Precisely. Kelly's use of a diagonal bisecting the square creates a dynamic tension. The black, a dense, opaque field, is counterbalanced by the negative space, allowing for formal interplay. Editor: One wonders about its socio-political context. Was this piece, perhaps, intended as a quiet rebellion against the visual noise of its time? Curator: Perhaps. Yet, equally valid is considering how the interplay between the black and the white elicits a sensory response. Its reductionist nature becomes its strength. Editor: I see your point. Ultimately, it's the visual encounter that resonates. Curator: Indeed, a testament to the power of pure form.