The Happy Rare (Le rare heureux) from the portfolio Pencil on Shell 1971

Curator: Before us is Pierre Alechinsky's "The Happy Rare (Le rare heureux) from the portfolio Pencil on Shell," created in 1971. It’s a compelling example of his mixed-media printmaking. Editor: It's immediately captivating, though I’m finding it hard to pin down a definitive emotion. The composition feels dense, almost claustrophobic, but the colors, especially the teal, offer moments of release. Curator: Indeed. The dynamism lies in the interplay between freedom and constraint. The dense, swirling lines that almost trap the lighter teal shapes point toward psychological and emotional complexity, representative of his broader style and artistic period. The image is archetypal—it brings the primal ooze back to life with its dark energy. Editor: It also reads like a confrontation with societal structures. The bold strokes appear almost violently scratched in. Given Alechinsky's roots in post-war Europe, you almost get a sense of art having survived war or destruction, fighting for renewal within constraints that may or may not be imaginary. Curator: The power of symbolism. It reminds me that these forms carry inherited memories from Art Informel and Surrealism. His use of color is symbolic as well, acting as psychological devices on our emotions and subconsciousness. He shows an engagement in cultural history and uses a type of collective symbolic expressionism to move away from conventional art. Editor: Looking closely, I see small recurring elements—these rounded shapes. How would you interpret these motifs, given their repeated use within the field? It gives the feeling of some narrative repetition or memory cycle. Curator: These shapes work in that repetition that recalls the universality of mythic symbols. They’re elemental: evoking cellular structures, celestial bodies, perhaps even the very origins of consciousness and the interconnectedness of our mental universes. He's creating new associations and psychological insights—suggesting, but never confirming. Editor: A reminder that even within abstract expressionism, there are sociopolitical depths to be explored, beyond the pure act of creation itself. The 'rare happiness,' perhaps, lies in fleeting moments of catharsis or revolt. Curator: Exactly. The title in relation to the abstract forms is meant to be evocative and mysterious, inviting us to bring our own feelings and narrative to an experience of rebirth and reemergence from destruction. Editor: So, we are left with this piece reflecting on both psychological weight and sociopolitical unrest—and possibly the brief, fragile moment in-between.