Page of the universal atlas, IV. Turkey in Asia 

Editor: This intriguing piece is "Page of the universal atlas, IV. Turkey in Asia" by Pierre Alechinsky, incorporating drawing, mixed-media, collage, ink and paper. It’s an energetic work! I am immediately drawn to how the stark black lines contrast with the antique map. How do you see this piece interacting with its historical context? Curator: Well, Alechinsky's appropriation of an old map challenges the traditionally objective authority of cartography. Think about maps in a colonial context. They weren’t just neutral depictions, but tools of power, defining territories and asserting control. What might Alechinsky be suggesting by obscuring this map of “Turkey in Asia” with expressive, almost primal lines? Editor: Perhaps he's commenting on the instability of borders, or even questioning the very idea of fixed representations of place? It feels like he is liberating the underlying energy trapped within the map. Curator: Exactly! His style is rooted in Expressionism and embraces the fluidity of line and form. Notice how the linework feels spontaneous, even aggressive at times. He's disrupting the supposed order of the map, asserting a more subjective and visceral reality. The museum world also has played a part by presenting the "historical" viewpoint for a long time. Editor: So the museum now participates with the art and acknowledges past flaws by presenting Alechinsky. The bold abstract shapes definitely undermine any sense of geographical certainty. It’s like a tug-of-war between control and chaos. Curator: Precisely! And this tension reveals a potent commentary on how we perceive and engage with established systems of knowledge and control, now questioned by everyone with access to these historical images and new tools. It makes you wonder about the narratives that we consume without question, doesn’t it? Editor: It really does. I'll certainly look at maps differently from now on! Curator: Indeed, Alechinsky encourages us to question not only maps but also the inherent power structures within institutions and how imagery affects public thought and societal narrative.