Vertigo 1973

Curator: This is "Vertigo," painted in 1973 by Luchita Hurtado. She worked with acrylic on canvas. It's a compelling example of her experimentation with geometric abstraction. Editor: Woah, I feel like I'm looking into a vortex. Is that what she meant by 'Vertigo'? The blues swirl and converge around this ochre-colored ring... it’s both hypnotic and a bit unsettling. Curator: Hurtado's work from this period often explores perception and spatial relationships. You see here the subtle shifts in color and pattern disrupt a clear sense of depth, playing with the viewer's sense of balance. The repeated forms reference art deco patterns and indigenous weaving traditions, drawing together quite diverse visual languages. Editor: The art deco connection makes sense; it's got that elegant symmetry, but that central blue… orb? It almost feels alive. It's less static, more like a cosmic eye staring back at us. Do you think that's reaching too far? Curator: Not at all! Hurtado was deeply interested in spirituality and ecological themes. Her patterns sometimes suggest landscapes viewed from above or, indeed, cosmic perspectives. Her paintings offered subtle critiques of the conventional ways of seeing, especially within Western artistic traditions. Editor: And it was painted in '73. The whole counterculture vibe—expanded consciousness, questioning established norms, looking inwards. Did she hang with any artists like that? I see hints of Agnes Martin here, who hung with all of those Beat era characters... Curator: Absolutely. Hurtado, though she maintained her own unique artistic voice, participated in various artistic circles throughout her long career, engaging with surrealists and later figures associated with California's Light and Space movement. That interest in perception, as you pointed out, resonates strongly in her paintings. Editor: Looking at it again, I am sensing ancient seas. And a reminder about how nothing is permanent. She captures those themes very well. Curator: Hurtado’s long artistic journey invites us to consider art as a way to connect with the world—both its material realities and its profound mysteries. It’s a work that encourages repeated viewing, don’t you think? Editor: Totally. Every time I look at it, another layer surfaces. Kind of like the painting itself! Thanks for those perspectives.