Untitled 1942

Editor: We are looking at Lee Krasner’s “Untitled” from 1942, an acrylic painting full of geometric shapes. There's something playful yet intense in the color choices; they feel both considered and raw. How might we think about this work? Curator: Let’s consider the physicality of this piece. Krasner employs acrylic paint, still relatively new at the time. How does that material choice impact your perception? Editor: Well, acrylic allows for those bright, flat areas of color, a real contrast to the textures we see in oils from the same period. Does the shift to acrylic impact how she created her pieces? Curator: Precisely. Consider also that Krasner, like many abstract expressionists, was deeply influenced by the social upheavals around her—specifically World War II. How might the materials and process, in a way, reflect that instability and shift in artistic thinking? The urgency? Editor: That’s interesting, the idea of acrylic allowing for a faster process, mirroring that urgency! The shapes also look cut-and-pasted; is she deliberately alluding to industry or perhaps architecture? Curator: The geometric abstraction suggests a response to, or even a deconstruction of, the industrial world. Perhaps even challenging what 'art' could even be made from! Does that impact how you perceive the finished painting? Editor: It does. Thinking about material and manufacturing shifts how I viewed the geometric design and allows me to approach art using both visual and contextual skills. Thanks for offering your unique perspectives! Curator: It’s important to always explore materials within historical contexts, right? Seeing that it reflects so much.