2014 11 17 16.48.09 

Curator: Looking at Jimmy Ortiz’s “2014 11 17 16.48.09”, an acrylic matter-painting, what springs to mind? Editor: Visually, I’m immediately struck by its materiality; it feels like I can almost touch the build-up of paint, those horizontal striations creating a tangible layering. Curator: Absolutely. Notice the way the orange layer hovers above a greyish middle band, separated by dripping white vertical lines which suggest a kind of boundary between symbolic realms. It's fascinating how colour is used here, hinting at, perhaps, warmth clashing against something cooler and subdued. Editor: That colour contrast definitely speaks to me, though I’m also thinking about the labour involved in achieving this effect. You see all this layering, right? Consider the number of processes used here, each layer of material responding to the preceding one; an incredibly process driven work. Curator: Precisely. That lower section too - darker, chaotic. Almost reminiscent of standing at the edge of water perhaps, if we allow ourselves a symbolic interpretation. Consider how water so often embodies the subconscious or untapped emotional depths. Editor: I can see how one might draw that connection, but to me it raises a discussion about the presumed separation between high art and techniques considered craft. Ortiz seems deliberately engaged with a physical construction. Curator: The textured surfaces themselves act as symbols then? They're evocative of materiality and lived experience in a very direct manner, drawing attention to our relationship with our world through physical touch. Editor: Exactly! The medium becomes as significant as any iconographic reading. The ‘how’ directly informs our interpretation just as much as ‘why.’ It compels me to consider the choices behind each worked element. Curator: So, through material and process, perhaps the artist aims to excavate emotional landscapes, presenting them not as representations, but almost as geological surveys. Editor: A kind of material philosophy in practice! Seeing this work I am again reminded of the rich dialogue to be found in prioritizing artistic labor and the impact it can have on our interpretations. Curator: Yes! It underlines how crucial visual symbols embedded in layers offer new entry points. They build understanding from the physical to the intellectual.