Untitled 1986

Curator: David Salle's "Untitled" presents a complex layering of figures and abstract forms, all rendered in monochrome. There's a dreamlike quality, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Absolutely. It feels like a half-remembered dream, or perhaps an overexposed photograph. The central figure seems to be emerging from a tangle of symbols, both organic and geometric. What strikes me is the ambivalence. Curator: Ambivalence is a great word. Salle often juxtaposes seemingly disparate images, creating a visual language that resists easy interpretation. Are those roses near the hands, or something else entirely? Editor: The roses, if that's what they are, are interesting. Roses traditionally symbolize love and beauty, but here, they seem almost menacing, tangled with the other forms. There's a sense of psychological tension. Curator: Salle’s work has always explored the relationship between high and low culture, and how images accumulate meaning over time. I suppose you could say it’s a mirror reflecting the fragmented nature of contemporary experience. Editor: It is. And the lack of color only intensifies that feeling of being adrift in a sea of signs. A beautiful, unsettling piece. Curator: Yes, unsettling. It leaves you with a lot to think about, doesn't it?