SW 122 1960

Curator: Welcome. Here we have Hans Hinterreiter’s “SW 122,” created in 1960. It's an acrylic work dominated by monochromatic geometric shapes, particularly diamonds, set against what looks like an off-white ground. Editor: Immediately striking, isn’t it? It’s almost dizzying, how the curving lines play with your vision. There’s a sense of orderly chaos here, like staring into a perfectly organised storm. Curator: Indeed. Hinterreiter dedicated much of his practice to exploring mathematical and geometric relationships. Note how the placement of each diamond, and the careful gradations between the tones, creates an undulating, almost palpable rhythm across the picture plane. Editor: I'm wondering about his choice of acrylic. Was it to create a flawless flat surface, mimicking, perhaps, the industrial aesthetics of the 1960s? Did it influence the application? It all appears meticulously laid, avoiding texture in the paint. Curator: I think that's a very insightful point. The absence of texture brings the mathematical structure into sharp relief. Consider the pattern itself. Each diamond is identical, yet the overall composition denies any sense of easy repetition or predictability. Semiotically, each unit speaks to a controlled system, and simultaneously points away to infinite possibilities. Editor: I am more fascinated by the act of labor involved in this type of work. Consider the dedication it took to ensure near perfection, applying color to get consistent shapes. Does this speak to other industrial art of this era that employed similar methods of obsessive uniformity? It’s not traditionally craft but also far removed from conceptual ideas; somewhere in between? Curator: Interesting to consider that juxtaposition of mechanical precision within the hand-crafted execution. The contrast enhances the intellectual weight of the artwork, making us ponder the links between chance and determination. Editor: The tension is intriguing. This prompts more thought around Hinterreiter's own creative effort, his own labor embedded in this complex arrangement. Curator: Yes, the hand, mind, and machine seem to intersect in this space, a compelling aspect to ponder. Editor: An artwork of subtle tensions, revealing beauty from careful repetition and almost militant precision in execution. Curator: Indeed. It seems that Hinterreiter invites us into an engaging intellectual game with visual form.