Variation [verso] 1950

Curator: Looking at this print, I’m immediately drawn to its subdued palette and playful geometry. What do you think? Editor: We are looking at "Variation [verso]" created in 1950 by Benton Spruance. Spruance, as you can see, primarily worked in mixed media, which is an important aspect in considering his artistic intentions. How does that choice influence the message it communicates about society? Curator: The limited color scheme, perhaps a cost-saving measure of the time, contributes significantly to its modernist feel, and look at how he layered inks. Notice the way each color seems purposefully printed on top of another to develop interesting chromatic subtleties in the final print. Do you think the availability of materials during that time factored into its creation? Editor: It is almost certain that available resources affected production choices! Post-war America dealt with many shifts in resources. Thinking historically, abstract art provided a way to explore subjective expression while avoiding overt political or social statements which became embraced by galleries during the Cold War. What social purpose do you think Benton envisioned when creating "Variation [verso]"? Curator: It is also a work intended, I think, for broad distribution and potentially open to individual interpretation, judging by the title "Variation [verso]", or did the art marketplace see the artwork to be a product, or some experimentation for Spruance. As prints are often regarded as a method for the distribution of creative ideas to the masses, does this affect its importance, in your opinion? Editor: Good question. Given Spruance's integration of printing processes and his social context in America, it surely had an impact. It could have served as a reflection or counterpoint for consumers immersed in new post-war visual vocabulary from commercial design to fine art exhibitions alike, potentially influencing tastes across society at a broader scale too through institutional means if placed inside major gallery exhibitions, for example! Curator: Indeed! Reflecting on our conversation, I'm especially fascinated by Spruance's engagement with geometric structures within a relatively confined material process. Editor: Agreed! “Variation [verso]" acts as a reflection on those times while remaining visually and conceptually thought-provoking even today.