Formations Jeune et Rose 1963

Editor: This watercolor painting, titled "Formations Jeune et Rose," was created in 1963 by Rene Bertholo. The array of shapes scattered across the pale background gives it a somewhat surreal, almost dreamlike quality. What's your take on this piece? Curator: I’m particularly interested in Bertholo's process here. Watercolor can be seen as an inherently delicate medium, yet he seems to be pushing its boundaries. Consider the deliberate arrangement of forms—do you see any repetition in the shapes themselves? Editor: Yes, I see repeated squares, cylinders and tubular forms. Also, a set of shapes or cluster of similar objects, some interconnected or layered. It seems almost mechanical, or maybe architectural in some of these cluster. Curator: Exactly. Bertholo isn't just applying pigment to paper; he is constructing a complex visual language from it. Let’s think about 1963; Portugal, under Salazar’s dictatorship, wasn’t exactly known for artistic freedom. So, does this almost scientific approach and somewhat mechanistic rendering serve a larger social function, in your view? How do you think it confronts material, both in terms of what the artist depicts and the conditions of artistic production under the circumstances? Editor: Maybe it is exploring themes of control, technology, or perhaps an industrialized aesthetic in a restrictive social climate? The deliberate use of materials also raises questions about what artistic expression looks like under such conditions, it's very interesting! Curator: Precisely. By focusing on process and form, Bertholo finds a language to bypass censorship, reflecting the societal pressures of his time through a lens of abstraction. Editor: So, the artistic act becomes almost a subtle form of resistance. Looking at this with an eye towards Bertholo's circumstances has deepened my appreciation. Thanks. Curator: Indeed, understanding the materials and context allows us to see the silent narratives embedded within the art.