untitled 1999

Curator: This untitled piece, a drawing dating from 1999 by Michael Goldberg, presents us with quite the energetic puzzle of lines. Editor: Energetic is right! My first impression is of raw, unleashed expression. The stark contrast of graphite and charcoal against that pale wash evokes a feeling of turbulence. What's the backstory here? Curator: Goldberg, you see, was deeply immersed in Abstract Expressionism. This drawing, rendered with charcoal and graphite, exemplifies the movement’s emphasis on process and gesture. The layering of frenetic lines almost feels like a visual representation of spontaneous thought, immediate sensation. Editor: Spontaneous, maybe. I wonder if we can also frame that spontaneity within Goldberg’s socio-political milieu? Consider the late 90s— the promises of the internet boom, set against growing anxieties. Does this not reflect a cultural schizophrenia? These raw lines—the charcoal seeming to almost claw at the page!—aren’t just about personal expression; they embody widespread tensions. Curator: Interesting read! Though, I see a dance more than a struggle. I sense him losing himself in mark-making. The dripping quality at the bottom… that reminds me, funnily enough, of happy accidents in the studio when I forget my coffee! Editor: It’s crucial we move past merely anecdotal interpretations. Yes, art arises from an individual’s experience, but its meaning is solidified and negotiated socially. When we talk of Goldberg "losing himself," what histories of embodied knowledge—or lack thereof—are we disregarding? Are the aesthetic choices inherently divorced from systems of power that decide which kinds of expression are validated? Curator: Hmm. Valid point. And perhaps the "loss" isn't complete; Goldberg is making decisions, even amid the chaos, creating a push-and-pull effect for us, the viewers, engaging in the push-and-pull, in effect. So you're suggesting he’s "fighting" something here too? Editor: Yes, wrestling perhaps. By delving deeper into this idea, Goldberg, in this drawing, pushes me to confront questions of what truly makes abstraction relevant today. Curator: Right. And for me, it sparks that curiosity in me to return to the studio. Perhaps some accidents are precisely what I’m searching for!