840d/91 1991

Editor: So, this artwork, called "840d/91" was made in 1991 by Rupprecht Geiger, using acrylic and ink. I find it incredibly vibrant – a bold, almost aggressive pink that seems to pulse with energy. It's like staring into pure, distilled feeling. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Aggressive, eh? I like that. For me, it's less aggression and more… assertion. Think about it: Geiger was deeply interested in color as its own subject, independent of form. He wanted to liberate color! This piece is a pure exploration of pink – all its subtleties, its warmth, its impact. Can you feel the subtle gradation of tone as your eye travels across the canvas? Editor: I do see the way it subtly shifts from a lighter shade at the top to something richer, almost a redder pink, at the bottom. It reminds me of sunrise a little bit, actually! Curator: Ah, yes! The blush of dawn! Geiger once said color was "life itself". And notice how it changes at the base: more of an atmospheric effect of denser pigment near the horizon line, as if we are staring at a solid block of colour, floating, radiating out towards us. But do you feel this 'aggressive' pulse if we introduce blue in place of the red pigments? Editor: Good question! Maybe 'aggressive' was the wrong word. 'Intense' might be more accurate. And that intensity feels purposeful, intentional. I'd agree more to a colour, suspended in space and radiating outwards! I wonder what a psychologist would say, if they knew this piece was the centre point in the room? Curator: Yes, perhaps intensity is better put, but I get a feeling that's more than just staring into a square block of pigment, it invites introspection. It might just change the way one feel within that room. What could be the repercussions of being surround with pink pigments that we might associate to feelings of calmness and perhaps peace! It is all fascinating to me. I think that by freeing colour, that Geiger was simply letting our emotions flow without restrictions! Editor: It really gives you a lot to ponder, doesn’t it? I didn't see all of those layers at first glance!