Moment 1946

Curator: Let's turn our attention to Barnett Newman's "Moment," completed in 1946. He used oil paint for this work, now residing here at the Tate Modern. Editor: Stark, almost severe. The muted earth tones on either side of that central, pale vertical… it’s demanding, isn’t it? Very different from what I typically expect from Newman. Curator: Absolutely. Thinking about materials, the canvas itself and Newman’s application of the oil paint are vital to this experience. Look closely—see how thin the paint is in places, almost staining the canvas. This transparency makes the process of creation remarkably visible. Editor: Right. It's impossible to ignore the social context, particularly the psychological weight of post-war America. This feels like a direct reaction, stripped bare. One singular moment—an acknowledgement of life and also trauma? Curator: It does, it feels almost elemental. The "zip," as Newman called his vertical lines, here anchors a field of almost geological-feeling color washes. His process, reducing painting to this act, challenged ideas about craft, blurring boundaries in postwar art. Editor: Definitely. I keep circling back to this central stripe as some sort of symbol: division? connection? Is this vertical the moment he intended to capture between destruction and something newly birthed? Or more broadly about the human state? Curator: Perhaps both! Considering he actively wanted his works experienced on a one-to-one basis with the viewer, I’d also add the physical act of experiencing it into this analysis. The human form next to this painting brings it further to life. Editor: A poignant reflection. "Moment" makes one reconsider the relationship between inner life and external historical forces through abstraction. It encourages discourse around being present after something has ended and new opportunity begins. Curator: Yes. It is a powerful painting. Exploring Newman's methods opens new possibilities in his abstraction, it emphasizes labor and the sheer physicality of the medium. Editor: Ultimately, a challenging, but significant piece to consider.