Riverfall 1969

Curator: Richard Smith’s large-scale work, "Riverfall," employs a striking use of material and form to evoke a sense of natural fluidity. Editor: It’s immediately striking how the layered fabric creates an illusion of depth, almost like peering through a hazy waterfall. Curator: Precisely. Smith's treatment of the canvas transcends traditional painting; he manipulates the very fabric to interact with light and shadow, thus dematerializing the picture plane. Editor: I'm intrigued by the visible process—the way the raw edges and joins are exposed. It seems to emphasize the labor and construction inherent in its making. Curator: A valid point. The semiotic reading suggests the deconstruction of pictorial space and the activation of the gallery environment. Editor: It’s evocative. I think of industrial textile production, repurposed and elevated. Curator: Indeed, and that challenges our conventional understanding of art as a commodity. Editor: Overall, I find the materiality and process of this piece compelling. Curator: I agree—a rich exploration of form and space.