Untitled 1995

Editor: This is an untitled piece from 1995 by Erik Saxon, made with watercolor and paper. There’s a minimalist feel to it; just a rectangular void in a field of speckled beige. What do you see in this piece? Curator: What immediately strikes me is the tension between the rigid geometry of the inner rectangle and the raw, almost primitive texture of the surrounding field. Think about how the rectangle, so clean and devoid of incident, echoes countless symbols across cultures – doorways, windows, even blank slates for reflection. And the beige? It evokes the earth, antiquity, something aged and almost forgotten. Editor: So, the contrast creates meaning? Curator: Absolutely. The smooth against the rough, the void against the texture… these elements invite us to consider dualities. Perhaps Saxon is prompting a meditation on memory and presence. What fades, what remains? Does the white space feel empty to you? Editor: Not empty, but quiet. It feels like potential. Maybe it's about uncovering something, stripping away the layers to reveal the core. The negative space reminds me of a tomb or archeological dig. Curator: Yes! Layers, excavation... think of how symbols accumulate meaning through time. This work whispers of the past, inviting us to project our own histories and interpretations onto its surface. What symbols or images do you see emerge in that quiet space? Editor: I'm still processing, but now the void is starting to look less like nothing, and more like a form waiting to take shape. Curator: Precisely. And that waiting is where the magic lies. It's not just about what the artist created, but what we, the viewers, bring to the experience. Thanks for your insight.