Vitral IV 2009

Curator: Ah, here we are. This piece is “Vitral IV” by Requena Nozal, completed in 2009, and constructed using mixed media on what looks to be a canvas. My immediate impression is that it could be made of acrylic paint and possibly matter-painting techniques, though the actual layering deserves some detailed investigation. Editor: Right. It looks to me like stained glass in sunshine that has sort of... exploded! There is an intense luminosity. It feels somehow frenetic and cheerful. What materials are at play here to create that vibrancy, do you think? Curator: I think that is interesting, indeed, Requena’s employment of various paints and impasto techniques is key, combined with what seems like a dense layering, contributes greatly to that. By examining how the surface texture engages with light, we gain insights into Nozal’s labor and production involved here. The artist uses that contrast beautifully! Editor: The layering is almost aggressive, in a way! Like they are fighting to get out. But still, those vibrant, almost childlike colours. Does that clash give the artwork any historical weight or context? Curator: Indeed, its engagement with Abstract Expressionism positions it within ongoing debates about the role of materiality. I imagine Requena sought to explore this movement and it is hard not to recognize Abstract Expressionism when viewing this, however Nozal is using new techniques, playing with what Abstract Expressionism had previously discovered. I wonder about this almost “stained-glass” idea and the use of it for what is almost a joyful chaos, with what history this symbology has, do you reckon? Editor: You're right, and it definitely gives a nod to that. You get an undeniable sense of passion and even perhaps the divine inspiration artists seek, without it ever becoming literal. Very, very striking! A lovely way of playing on abstract symbolism, not shying away but also making a joke out of it, in its pure chaos, perhaps, Curator: Very interesting insights to ponder, well worth lingering here to absorb. I've certainly looked at this from an angle that had never occurred to me, so I will make sure to note it down! Editor: And it certainly made me remember to celebrate the wildness that art, and life, offers up. Thank you for pointing me to all those different material perspectives!