Trace Elements 1975 - 1977

Curator: David Leverett's "Trace Elements" presents a fascinating study in texture and muted tones. The layering immediately strikes me. Editor: Yes, it evokes a landscape scarred by memory, the palimpsest of history etched onto the land and the body. Curator: Observe the composition: the movement from lighter to darker areas creates an intriguing tension. The linear elements seem to float, disrupting any sense of conventional space. Editor: I see resistance, perhaps, in those disrupted lines. Leverett was working during the Cold War era. Could this be a commentary on displacement, on the erasure of identities? Curator: Such interpretation is plausible, but consider also the purely aesthetic impact. The monochromatic scheme emphasizes the tactile quality, the roughness that engages the senses. Editor: But art is never truly apolitical. This invites us to consider how abstraction can reflect and critique the social world. Curator: Perhaps we can agree that the beauty of "Trace Elements" resides in its open-ended nature, encouraging us to explore both formal qualities and broader cultural contexts. Editor: Precisely, a dialogue between form and the forces that shape it.