Narrow passage 1957

Editor: We're looking at Rune Jansson's "Narrow Passage," from 1957, done with oil paint, interestingly described as "matter-painting". It has this sort of primal, almost cave painting feel, but also incredibly modern. What do you make of this blend of the ancient and modern? Curator: The title itself is interesting, isn't it? "Narrow Passage." Passages, both literal and metaphorical, are powerful symbols across cultures. Think of rites of passage, or even the passages in our minds as we contemplate different ideas. The materiality enhances this. Notice how the impasto creates actual physical textures; do you see how the raised surfaces might evoke ancient walls or layered histories? Editor: Definitely. It feels like the paint itself becomes a kind of record. There are definite layers here. I was thinking maybe a psychological landscape? Curator: Precisely. The restricted palette – browns, reds, ochres – speaks to the earth, the body, the subconscious, while the narrow verticality suggests constraints, limitations. This could symbolize repressed emotions or unresolved conflicts. The flashes of blue and pink—what emotional resonances might those evoke? Editor: The blue, maybe melancholy, or introspection? And the pink, a glimmer of hope or tenderness struggling to emerge? Curator: Beautifully put. Consider too that Abstract Expressionism arose in a post-war world grappling with trauma and existential questions. This work reflects that collective anxiety, channeling it into a raw, immediate visual language, almost primal, as you observed. Is there any element or form that captures this the strongest? Editor: The almost aggressive brushstrokes on the right, maybe, the way they are fighting against each other... Thank you! That really unlocked the depth in this painting for me. I was stuck on just the aesthetic surface at first. Curator: And I appreciate how your fresh perspective has opened my eyes further to its primal and psychological aspects, revealing more nuance through time. It’s a narrow passage to understanding for all.