Untitled 1994

Editor: This is Antonio Palolo's "Untitled" from 1994, done in acrylic paint. It's striking how these geometric blocks of color are arranged, separated by that narrow, pale blue band. It gives me a feeling of something simultaneously solid and fractured. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a doorway, a threshold created by colour. Think of the use of color in religious iconography – purple representing royalty and spiritual power, red symbolizing passion or sacrifice. Palolo subtly taps into this historical reservoir. How do these hues make you feel? Editor: The deep purple makes me think of richness, and the reds definitely vibrate. The blue, though...it's calmer, maybe a bit melancholy. But what do you mean by threshold? Curator: This blue isn’t just a divider; it’s an intermediary space. Thresholds in art and architecture signify transformation, a crossing from one state to another. It’s worth asking, then, what transition does Palolo invite us to consider through the interplay of colour and form? Is it about crossing from chaos to order, from darkness to light? Editor: I didn't think about that, like moving through a doorway... But with these shapes being so abstract, is there a specific story being alluded to? Curator: Perhaps not a singular narrative, but rather a suggestion of accumulated experiences, memories triggered by colour associations. The symbols are fluid, changing with each viewer, linking the past and the present. Doesn't it call to mind flags, maps, stained glass, and woven textiles, which are each laden with history? Editor: I do see that now. All these building blocks come together into something greater! Thanks, I see a whole new perspective on the work. Curator: Indeed! It shows how abstract art, though seemingly devoid of clear meaning, can be steeped in cultural memory, resonating with our collective unconscious.