Crusade 1984

Curator: Jacob Kainen's mixed-media print, "Crusade," dates to 1984 and presents us with an arrangement of geometric shapes. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: Well, immediately I'm drawn to the textures. There's this contrast between the smooth, solid blocks of color and what looks like a faux-bois background—almost like printed woodgrain. I’m wondering what processes were involved to get these distinct layers and densities of color. Curator: It strikes me as almost totemic in its organization, those rectangular forms evoke memories of stacked architectural blocks used for symbolic meaning. Kainen had a deep understanding of symbolic representation, the geometry feels quite considered. What do you think of the title "Crusade" in relation to this imagery? Editor: "Crusade"... It seems almost ironic, given the stillness of the composition. There is such a sense of stability here; those blocks of colour could refer to architectural sites or the labour and material involved. Curator: Yet I read "Crusade" as internal—the battle is with form itself, the quest to find visual order. Note how the palette—earthy tones—also creates a connection with nature, with a sense of grounded, unwavering purpose. Do you notice any visual disruption? Editor: Absolutely. It is not pristine; there is a subtle roughness in the printmaking itself; an inherent messiness where edges don't quite align or colours bleed slightly. That resonates with me far more than any high-gloss finish. For me, it brings this artwork closer to the evidence of labour itself. Curator: A battle fought on the plate, as you say. It encourages us to question the assumed perfection often expected from such works and see it more as a result of a human endeavor, laden with symbolic meaning. Editor: Agreed. It certainly encourages closer observation, doesn't it? Beyond the aesthetic qualities, we're drawn into thinking about production itself, the hands that were at work to compose its unique, textural nature. Curator: It brings to mind, then, a reconciliation of material, mark, and meaning. Editor: Precisely. Seeing the intersection of process and intentionality.