Fleur de peau 1966

Editor: This is Jacques Hérold’s "Fleur de Peau," created in 1966, using acrylic paint in what's called matter-painting. I'm struck by the texture—almost topographical—and the contrasting colors, which feel quite dramatic. What catches your eye about it? Curator: Well, first off, it's interesting to place this work within the context of Abstract Expressionism, which, by 1966, was already becoming institutionalized, almost academic. Hérold, though, manages to imbue it with a certain…rebelliousness, wouldn't you agree? The heavy impasto challenges traditional notions of painting. It almost seems to be escaping the canvas, defying the control expected of the artist. Editor: Rebellious how? It seems...contained within its frame. Curator: Consider the era. Post-war, mid-century modernism was prevalent. Abstraction itself had become a statement, a distancing from representational art, seen by some as complicit in political propaganda. But Hérold takes it further; he doesn’t just abstract, he actively manipulates the materiality. Think about how the reception of such tactile works changes within gallery spaces – does the museum setting tame that rebellion or amplify it through preservation? Editor: I see what you mean. Presenting it in a gallery gives it value and, maybe, somewhat diffuses the rebellious impact by validating it as "art." Curator: Precisely! The institution inevitably shapes our understanding and assigns value. What did the artist intend, and what meaning does the public assign? This conversation is perpetually shifting and layered in historical perspective. Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't considered how the gallery itself could be a key player in shaping our interpretation. Curator: Exactly. And how that interplay shifts and changes depending on the sociopolitical context in which we view it.