Composition#2 1960

Editor: We’re looking at Valerii Lamakh's "Composition #2" from 1960, an acrylic and impasto work. It’s so vibrant – a jumble of greens, yellows and reds. I can hardly make out a subject here but there is an alluring visual tension within the whole surface. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The beauty lies precisely in that tension! Note the aggressive brushstrokes, the thick application of paint; it speaks of raw emotion. Given that it was created in 1960, imagine what symbols, or rather, *memories*, might the artist be wrestling with, perhaps concealed within abstraction? Editor: Memories? What kind of memories are we talking about? Are there recurring symbols within his larger body of work that might clue us in? Curator: Precisely! While overtly abstract, this may subtly echo earlier iconographies transformed, *deconstructed*, under the weight of cultural and personal experience. Consider how the layering effect, like sediment over time, is both destructive and preservative of memory. Look at that central red form – does it evoke anything specific for you? A flame? A wound? Editor: I can see a flame now that you mention it, yes. Or even a heart, somehow… But do you think reading symbols into total abstraction is even valid, though? Is that maybe wishful thinking? Curator: The power of Abstract Expressionism lies in its ability to tap into the subconscious. The validity comes from *your* emotional response. The artist provides the key, but you, the viewer, unlock the door to interpretation, accessing universal anxieties and joys through the painting’s visual language. Don't discount the psychological weight that color itself carries. Editor: So it's less about a specific coded message and more about prompting a deeper, almost instinctual recognition? That makes sense. I’ll definitely look into this artist's journey through personal and collective symbols further! Curator: Excellent. Art offers an ongoing conversation across generations, mediated through images. It speaks volumes even when it appears to say nothing at all.