May 68 1968

Curator: Looking at Abidin Dino's "May 68," created during that tumultuous year, one immediately notes its blend of ink, collage, and printmaking. It's a powerful piece using mixed media. Editor: Yes, the figure—this almost tiger-striped character imposed on a newsprint ground—strikes me as both assertive and vulnerable. Its gestural quality is compelling, and there's a strong undercurrent of urgency that resonates, wouldn't you agree? Curator: Absolutely. It appropriates a fragment of a French newspaper, headlining "Tragic Night in the Latin Quarter." The artist layers these strong calligraphic lines of ink over this ready-made item—the newsprint becomes both ground and context for the image. It speaks of direct action and raw response. Consider how the printmaking and collage processes facilitated rapid production. Editor: It feels deeply personal despite depicting such a large socio-political event. It feels urgent and a little brokenhearted too. I wonder, what does this layering tell us? Curator: This layering highlights the layers of meaning inherent in the events of May '68: media representation juxtaposed with embodied experience; spontaneous action alongside institutional reportage. Dino captures that messy simultaneity. The figure’s abstracted form, achieved using what seems like ink, implies collective anger distilled into one emblematic protestor. Editor: And I like how he resists any simple resolution; he's capturing a feeling more than presenting a slogan. Its imperfections make it all the more… human, real, raw! I love how this work can be seen both a documentation and interpretation. It is like a feeling rather than a simple report of events. Curator: Precisely. Through these print and collage methods, and overlaid expressionistic marks, Dino provides an affective material witness, moving beyond a simple retelling. Editor: Seeing it like that, through a lens that examines the processes and context… that gives it even more depth. Thank you for that new perspective. Curator: My pleasure!