Even Song 1930

Editor: Agnes Pelton's "Even Song," created around 1930, is an acrylic painting with an ethereal quality. The combination of the vessel shape and flowing lines evokes a sense of serenity and something ancient, like an artifact. What symbols are active in this image for you? Curator: The vessel form holds potent significance across cultures. It is an archetypal container of life, of potential, like the womb. In Pelton's work, the vessel emits streams or emanations. How might these be interpreted, given their cloud-like quality? Editor: Maybe as the release of thought, breath, or inspiration, spilling outward from the inner core? Curator: Precisely! And note the presence of stars, both within the vessel and above. Stars often symbolize the soul or a connection to the divine. The layering of the stars could be interpreted as an embrace of self-actualization and cosmic connectivity. It seems the scene takes place atop a wave that flows into a peaceful horizon, creating an effect of harmony. The flowing water may serve as our emotions, carrying us into stillness. Editor: I never considered how active this stillness is with all of these various visual cues! This artwork’s blend of symbolism and abstraction really gives it a captivating mystical feel. Curator: Indeed, it provides a window into the artist's interior landscape. She’s leaving a cultural and emotional inheritance behind in her unique language of shapes and metaphors, and leaves it for us to collectively witness. Editor: This was certainly a fascinating dive into an art historical point of view! I see it differently now.