Or et ombre 1958

Editor: We're looking at "Or et ombre" by Jean Dubuffet, created in 1958, a matter painting that feels both ancient and incredibly modern. The textured surface and the play of gold and shadow give it a powerful, almost primordial feel. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: I see Dubuffet challenging the traditional notions of beauty and materiality that were prevalent in the post-war era. The work belongs to the Art Informel movement which questioned the established artistic norms. What materials did he use, and what does their roughness suggest? Editor: Well, it’s described as a "matter painting," so I imagine the textures come from thick applications of paint, perhaps mixed with other materials? To me, the roughness reads like a statement, almost like an anti-aesthetic, challenging what's considered "fine art." Curator: Precisely. Think about the social context – the late 1950s, a period of reconstruction but also growing social anxieties. Dubuffet's use of such base materials, rejecting elegance for something raw and immediate, speaks to a wider rejection of bourgeois values. Does the title "Gold and Shadow" play into that at all? Editor: It’s a contrast, right? Gold being precious, shadow suggesting darkness or the hidden. Maybe it represents the unseen labor or the social costs beneath the surface of prosperity. It feels very critical. Curator: Absolutely. This tension between "gold" and "shadow" might also reflect the dialectical relationships inherent in societal structures – the power dynamics, the visible and the invisible. Art Informel can be understood as art that embraces an-Other beauty— challenging entrenched concepts of value. What would you take away as a lasting insight from this conversation? Editor: How deeply intertwined art can be with the social and political climate in which it was made; how a work can embody resistance and critical commentary through its very materials and textures. Curator: Indeed, Dubuffet encourages us to look beyond the surface, to find meaning in the seemingly mundane, and to challenge the status quo through artistic expression.