Al volo 1989

Editor: So, this is Luciano Bartolini's "Al volo" from 1989, a mixed-media collage incorporating watercolor elements. I'm immediately drawn to its layered composition, it's very subtle, but also disjointed. How do you interpret this work, considering the historical context? Curator: It strikes me as a visual echo of its time, reflecting the late 20th-century anxieties around information overload and the deconstruction of established systems. The collage format itself is significant; think about how the Cubists employed collage to disrupt traditional perspectives. Does Bartolini aim to do something similar here, dismantling visual norms? Editor: That makes sense. The layering does create a sense of fragmentation. The white lines and washes almost seem to try and reassemble the image but fail. Do you think there's a specific societal critique embedded in this? Curator: Possibly. Abstraction can serve as a powerful tool for commentary. Are those fragmented geometric shapes suggestive of a cityscape viewed from above, disrupted by conflict or societal upheaval? Consider how artists like Kurt Schwitters used collage to reflect the chaos of the interwar period. Could Bartolini be using a similar approach, hinting at a more contemporary disarray? What do you think the 'Al Volo', 'on the fly', is referencing? Editor: That's interesting! I hadn't considered the connection to cityscapes or societal anxieties. Perhaps the title "Al Volo," suggests fleeting impressions or a rapidly changing world. The watercolor elements give it a feeling of transience too. Curator: Exactly! And that's where the public role of art comes into play. It invites us to contemplate the transient nature of our own experiences, prompting critical reflection on our society. This wasn't just aesthetic experimentation, it was active discourse. Editor: This has been incredibly helpful in understanding the cultural context behind "Al volo". Curator: And your fresh perspective helped me see how Bartolini speaks to current anxieties about a quickly-changing world through abstraction. A constant re-evaluation is essential in Art History.