The Witch Doctor 1963

Curator: Immediately, I am struck by the intense chromatic range set against that vibrant red ground, a dynamic interplay of gesture and color, wouldn't you agree? Editor: This is John Ferren's "The Witch Doctor" from 1963, an abstract expressionist work crafted with acrylic paint and mixed media on canvas. It epitomizes the artist's exploration of form and color through a modern lens, engaging with the mid-century preoccupation of process. Curator: Yes, and Ferren's bold use of color contributes significantly to the painting’s energetic and almost chaotic aura. I find myself drawn into the densely layered brushstrokes and their individual qualities. Do you see any figurative shapes emerging, or is that only in my mind? Editor: It's understandable you might seek figuration, considering the title, but my attention is fixated on the physicality of its creation. One could surmise that this piece functions as an engagement with contemporaneous cultural concepts regarding primitivism and perhaps an implicit critique of the commercialization of such ideas in a burgeoning global marketplace. Curator: The way the colours and forms push and pull, they create such tension, which adds depth. Notice the deliberate arrangement and balance, creating internal coherence despite the apparent disorder. This piece really demonstrates a push past a typical modernist abstraction. Editor: Agreed, the intentionality of each application of paint is undeniable. By manipulating the acrylics so thickly, the piece occupies a space between painting and sculptural object. What implications does that carry, do you think? Curator: Interesting. If this pushes painting toward the tactile realm, does that democratize its reception? This turn makes the creative act not merely an intellectual endeavor but a more bodily, relatable activity to experience through its own making. Editor: Precisely, the artwork’s production and our perception blur, compelling interaction. The means—materials, labour, commodification—become central to experiencing art’s worth. It challenges, therefore, notions of intrinsic aesthetic worth and asks about constructed valuation. Curator: This piece truly is a profound statement on abstract composition; that interplay of texture and depth just adds a great complexity. Editor: Agreed, seeing the ways in which Ferren pushes his materials really changes how we appreciate modernism and how art participates in society.