Object X 1970

Editor: This is "Object X" by Romul Nutiu, created in 1970. It’s a mixed-media piece, kind of sculptural, with what looks like acrylic paint applied to…is that furniture? It’s oddly captivating. What do you make of it? Art Historian: Intriguing piece. What stands out immediately is Nutiu's deliberate blurring of the lines between 'high art' and functional object. He’s forcing us to reconsider the labor and materials that go into both. Do you think that's successful, considering this period? Editor: Well, the abstract expressionist painting style clashes with the utilitarian form. The labor-intensive act of painting fights with the readily available furniture and seems an odd coupling. I wonder what's being consumed here: the "Art" or the "Object". Art Historian: Precisely. The very 'thingness' of the object demands attention. Look closely at how he manipulates acrylics – it’s not just decoration. Nutiu is clearly interrogating material hierarchies of his time by using those common forms. I wonder what Nutiu's views might have been toward abstract expressionism given it was on the tail end. Editor: So, it's almost like he is making a statement about the mass production of abstract art? Is that something like pop-art criticism through object creation, maybe critiquing the value systems that support abstract expressionism in this new context? Art Historian: Exactly! Think about it, Abstract Expressionism was becoming mainstream! It had gained economic and political favor, and with it, some argue it lost much of its earlier vitality. Here, he seems to reclaim and recycle that earlier creative intention of discovery via repurposing it onto functional forms to keep those same inquiries going. He is in effect asking, "How else can be engage with the visual around us"? What a novel idea. Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way! Seeing the labor and context intertwined like that really changes my perspective on abstract-expressionism! Thank you! Art Historian: Indeed! Hopefully, you can appreciate materiality is vital to our experience of "Object X." Now, tell me, does the way materials come together make the case better in its presentation for you?