On a Darksome Road 1961

Editor: Here we have Minna Citron's 1961 print, "On a Darksome Road." It's...well, it’s dark, definitely lives up to the name. It’s hard to make out any specific shapes, more of an overall mood, an inky sort of texture. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It is indeed evocative, isn't it? At first glance, the darkness might overwhelm, but squint a little. Do you see the suggestion of light filtering through? Citron was working during a time of great social upheaval, and abstract expressionism was the language many artists used to explore these anxieties. This work speaks to the search for clarity amidst chaos, perhaps. I wonder if the "road" here is literal or a metaphor for life’s uncertain path? Editor: A metaphor...interesting. I was just thinking it literally looked like she maybe didn’t have much ink left! But I see what you mean about the light. Do you think it's a hopeful image, then? Curator: Hopeful? Perhaps cautiously so. The "darksome road" is still there, looming. But that tiny flicker of illumination, that single dab of reddish hue amidst the oppressive dark suggests resilience, the enduring human spirit finding its way, even when visibility is low. There's a quiet strength here, don't you think? A quiet fight. Editor: I think I do see it now. It's less about despair, and more about...perseverance in the face of it. That little red dab makes a big difference now. Curator: Precisely! Art is about seeing and then, seeing again. It changes with us, just like a road. Editor: That’s a very artful way of putting it. Thanks! I'll never look at a dark print the same way again.