Torsions 40F.90 1970

Curator: Well, it's impossible to stand before Walter Leblanc's "Torsions 40F.90," created in 1970, and not feel an immediate sense of controlled energy. He worked in mixed media, as you can see. Editor: Controlled is a good word. My first impression is of something simultaneously rigid and vibrant. The sharp lines create a vibrating, almost dizzying effect. Curator: Yes, the vibrations! You’ve honed in on the essence. Leblanc was deeply engaged with serial art and Op Art movements, attempting to disrupt our visual perceptions. Notice how the colours shift from yellow at the top to a gradient of orange at the bottom, adding to the destabilization. Editor: The color definitely reinforces that sensation. The geometric precision against that warm palette is striking. Are we meant to see a symbolic shift happening from the top to the bottom of the piece? Curator: The geometric elements are vital; indeed, it's very tempting to assign a metaphorical reading. Yellow might symbolise intellect or clarity, descending towards a more passionate, fiery orange at the base. Remember, many artists exploring geometric abstraction, especially around this time, were influenced by broader cultural shifts and the emerging sciences, as well as philosophy, which were challenging the established order. They were experimenting with how viewers process visual information. Editor: So, less about explicit symbolism and more about manipulating perception itself? Still, the suggestion of order transforming into something else is unavoidable. Is the repetition itself a key part of that disruption, a visual mantra designed to wear down the viewer? Curator: Precisely. Repetition is almost hypnotic, inviting contemplation while simultaneously provoking a subtle unease. Leblanc sought to create artworks that are not static objects, but rather dynamic fields of visual experience. He's not just making art, but consciously re-training how we perceive and engage. Editor: Fascinating. It is less about decoding a hidden meaning and more about acknowledging our subjective, often unreliable, visual experience. It does push us to consider the unstable nature of seeing, a theme I’ll certainly think about later. Curator: And perhaps, the unstable nature of certainty itself. Leblanc invites us to embrace the dynamism of experience, and not fear disorientation but use it as a path toward deeper perception.