Untitled 1972

Editor: This untitled 1972 print by Max Bill, looks to me like a minimalist take on a vibrant cityscape. The colors are bold, almost like traffic lights, but the overall impression is incredibly… static. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Static is interesting, isn't it? It strikes me more like musical bars, maybe the beginning of a cheerful minimalist symphony. Bill, with his concrete art leanings, was always fascinated by mathematical relationships, taking what he saw in the real world and finding the core of the structure to give the truest objective form in abstract art. Are these simple, stacked bars, or are they codes, or are they even urban totems standing against an increasingly mechanized world? Editor: Codes! I like that. So, each column becomes a little universe of information. The way he restricts his palette gives each color even more power. Why do you think he would create it? Curator: Ah, the "why." Perhaps it’s not about grand narratives, or overt symbolism. I imagine it was the challenge of distilling the essence of visual harmony into pure color and form. Almost like he's inviting the viewer to compose their own meaning. Do you feel like it means something different now that we spoke? Editor: Absolutely. The invitation to find meaning...I’ll remember that. Curator: Me too. Every work teaches you new things every time.