Coca Cola 2 1964

Curator: Here we have Wolf Vostell’s "Coca Cola 2," a mixed-media piece held at the Harvard Art Museums. It combines collage and drawing, measuring about 33 by 50 centimeters. Editor: My first impression is bleak nostalgia. The blurring seems to wash away at memories, good and bad. Curator: Exactly. Note how Vostell juxtaposes the iconic Coca-Cola image with a stark depiction of World War I. Semiotically, the cultural symbol of American consumerism is set against the realities of global conflict. Editor: So, is it critiquing the blind optimism of capitalism against the backdrop of human suffering? Or is it more about how both become historical artifacts? Curator: It's an incisive commentary, I'd say. The artist's act of obscuring these images serves to challenge our consumption of them. Editor: I love the deliberate scratch marks—they echo the violence depicted, while also drawing attention to the surface itself, reminding us it's all artifice. Curator: Precisely. It is a potent visual statement that invites us to deconstruct our perception, if you will, of popular and historical narratives. Editor: It makes you think about what we choose to remember—and what we actively try to forget, doesn’t it? Curator: Indeed, it’s a poignant piece that lingers with you long after you've seen it. Editor: A haunting snapshot of a world where pleasure and pain coexist.