Pakhuizen 1971

Editor: So, this print, “Pakhuizen,” made by Nono Reinhold in 1971… it feels almost like a blueprint of some industrial buildings. There’s a real simplicity to it, almost like a minimalist take on urban architecture. What catches your eye when you look at this piece? Curator: It’s funny you say blueprint, because it makes me think of how we construct our realities, layer by layer. Reinhold has presented these almost brutalist structures. One is a earthy brick colour, and the other a deep, muddy purple. They are like twin towers—mirrors or reflections—what are they reflecting I wonder? Editor: Do you mean reflections as in what the artist wants us to reflect on? Curator: Absolutely! Maybe the artist is pointing out the beauty that can be found in repetition, even in what some might see as cold, functional architecture. Also, notice how the blocks of 'windows' morph between rectangles and more decorative arched forms in the purple structure? It asks if our structures –literal, societal, emotional– are more rigid or ornamental. Which do you see reflected in your own life? Editor: Hmm, I hadn't thought about the 'window' shapes like that before. I'm now thinking of it as less of a flat image and more like a question about… well, about everything. That's interesting. Curator: Exactly! It is an invitation, through minimalist forms, to contemplate complexity. Art, when it really hums, throws open a door into our own minds. We are not just seeing a picture; we are engaging in a silent conversation. Editor: Thanks, that’s given me a lot to think about – definitely seeing this print in a new light now. Curator: My pleasure. Never stop questioning!