Cosmogonie 1962

Curator: Before us, we have "Cosmogonie" by Horia Damian, a mixed-media artwork from 1962 that explores themes within abstract expressionism and what some term matter-painting. Editor: Wow. My first thought? A supernova going down in flames! There's this furious energy but also this undeniable sense of…exhaustion? Like the universe is letting out one gigantic sigh. Curator: Damian was part of a generation of artists exploring the boundaries of non-objective art after World War II. He aimed to go beyond the purely aesthetic, attempting to depict something intangible and monumental. The context is crucial; many artists felt a need to reckon with large scale violence and destruction, seeking to visualize it within the language of abstraction. Editor: Intangible and monumental is spot-on! It almost looks like a topographical map of…nothing I've ever seen. The textures he builds with oil paint—I see it as like mapping the unmappable—you feel the weight of existence pressing down on you. And that gold arch… Curator: The gold certainly invokes Byzantine iconography—that tradition uses the metal to depict a heavenly or spiritual realm. Consider this as Damian engaging with traditions that elevate and revere painting’s potential for spiritual or existential experience. Editor: It definitely has that shimmer of the divine, like some lost icon retrieved from the deep sea! But honestly, I also read the title a little sarcastically? Is it mocking our human impulse to slap neat names onto cosmic chaos? Maybe! The way he uses this mixed-media really sells the idea of the universe under duress! It’s beautiful, terrifying…mostly beautiful. Curator: His works were exhibited frequently in galleries across Europe and were celebrated at a moment when abstraction had become dominant in artistic circles, with institutions and collectors showing a high appetite for it. This period represents a fascinating convergence of artistic intent, market conditions, and social reckoning, something clearly demonstrated by Damian's work. Editor: Seeing all that turbulent motion crystallized here in globs of oil is just mind-blowing. I would love to sit and stare at this all day. It’s truly stunning to see the physical embodiment of an existential crisis. Curator: Absolutely! This exploration shows Damian's interest in abstract-expressionism. Editor: This was incredible!