Untitled (#1136) 1966

Curator: George Sugarman’s Untitled (#1136), held here at the Harvard Art Museums, presents a striking interplay of bold shapes and colors. Editor: It hits me immediately with its stark contrast—the black form almost looming, balanced by the vibrant orange and blue. The composition feels surprisingly dynamic for such simple shapes. Curator: The colors themselves suggest a narrative: the solid black could symbolize the unconscious, tethered to brighter emotional states represented in the orange and blue. Editor: Intriguing, but I'm drawn more to the application of paint itself. Note the texture, especially in the black area—it isn't a uniform wash, but a layered, almost sculptural impasto. Curator: These are shapes and hues that resonate with familiar archetypes; the orange, for example, is often associated with creativity and the blue with tranquility. Editor: I'm more interested in how the linear blue form echoes the curve of the orange, creating a visual rhythm across the canvas. It's a game of push and pull that the artist cleverly manages. Curator: Perhaps the artist is exploring the duality of human experience, the interplay between our inner selves and our external perceptions. Editor: Maybe, or maybe it's about how pure form can communicate volumes through its intrinsic visual qualities. It is just great abstraction. Curator: Regardless of intent, this piece offers a fascinating lens through which to examine the power of shape and color. Editor: Indeed. It's a testament to the potency of reduction, making it greater than the sum of its parts.