Addition VII 1958

Curator: Immediately, I’m drawn to the raw physicality of this piece. The paint handling is so direct. Editor: We are looking at Morris Louis’s “Addition VII” from 1958, an important example of Colour Field painting. I'm struck by how these translucent washes evoke a certain vulnerability. Curator: Exactly! Vulnerability, but also process! Note how Louis stained the canvas rather than applying paint traditionally. This technique removes the artist's hand, yes, but emphasizes the materiality. No concealing brushstrokes. It's just pure, unadulterated pigment interacting with woven fiber. Editor: And that interaction challenges the traditional hierarchy in art, right? By prioritizing material and process, he is resisting the dominance of representation. Considering the post-war context, this feels like a powerful rejection of established norms – both artistic and societal. It really challenges ideas of gender and power. The very act of staining, of letting the material "become," opposes a masculine urge to dominate. Curator: Absolutely. This stain technique levels the playing field between artist and material. The painting practically makes itself! I find myself thinking about the labor involved in preparing the dyes, the weave of the canvas, all of it part of a collaborative act! Editor: I’m fascinated by how this collaborative "act" relates to broader power structures, who gets to participate in defining "art" or even "beauty?" What are the historical and cultural narratives that shaped these color choices, the composition? Was this "staining" innovative or was it rather, an adaptation of artistic techniques historically implemented by marginalized communities? Curator: Those questions really push me to look at Louis' process and how innovative processes come about in artmaking! This focus gives this artwork resonance and weight. Editor: Yes, it moves the focus towards inclusion. Thinking about it through an intersectional lens illuminates its continued relevance in contemporary discussions about power, process and accessibility within the art world. Curator: Well, by unpacking this one artwork, we've certainly raised enough points to ponder about materials, method and making. Editor: Indeed. Examining Louis’s “Addition VII” provides critical insight into the historical context while highlighting urgent contemporary concerns of identity and artistic responsibility.