London Palette 1985

Editor: We’re looking at Nathan Lerner’s “London Palette” from 1985, which seems to be a layered artwork utilizing photography, collage, and printing techniques. It feels almost like a captured fragment of urban decay – harsh but visually arresting. How do you interpret this piece, especially given its potential socio-political context? Curator: This work resonates strongly within the context of the 1980s, a period when street art and graffiti began entering mainstream artistic discourse. Note how Lerner captures this aesthetic not on a canvas but on, presumably, an existing urban surface. It invites a question: is this vandalism, or is it artistic expression reclaiming public space? Consider also, how the rise of urban art correlated with shifts in urban planning and the visibility of counter-cultural movements. Editor: So, it's less about the inherent beauty and more about its place within societal shifts and art’s changing role? Curator: Precisely. The layering, the montage—it’s almost an archaeological record of the city's surface. It hints at the continuous dialogue between official structures and unofficial expressions. Why do you think Lerner chose to freeze this moment in time, in 1985? Editor: Maybe to legitimize something often seen as illegitimate, highlighting its aesthetic merit and societal relevance. It's an interesting push and pull between acceptance and rejection. Curator: Indeed. Lerner challenges our perceptions of what constitutes ‘art’ and its proper location. His choice to frame street art is a comment on the art world's boundaries and the cultural forces at play during that era. This brings us back to considering what institutions or authorities are being implicitly addressed in this seemingly spontaneous urban canvas? Editor: I see it now—a defiance, and a question posed to those in charge. I initially just saw layered paint! Thank you. Curator: It's through that kind of close looking, informed by the context, that we unlock these layers of meaning.