Friends by the shoreline 2020

Editor: Here we have Nick Alm's "Friends by the shoreline" from 2020, executed in oil paint. The figures seem so entwined and the palette so muted; it gives me a sense of intimacy and melancholy. What strikes you most about this work? Curator: The painting’s formal elements construct a self-enclosed system. Note how the artist manipulates the figures within the square canvas to emphasize the surface itself. Consider the curvilinear forms, echoing each other and binding the two figures together, and observe the way the hair, acting as a veil, deemphasizes the faces, thus rendering them nearly anonymous. Editor: So you see the composition itself, the curves and the obscuring of the faces, as key to its meaning? Curator: Precisely. The restrained palette, largely confined to ochres and browns, creates a visual harmony that reinforces the unified composition. The ambiguity fostered by the concealed faces and the intertwined bodies compels us to focus on the formal relationships at play rather than narrative specifics. Is this not, essentially, a study of form and tone? Editor: I see what you mean. It is less about individual identities and more about the abstract shapes and the interplay of light and shadow. Curator: Consider how the brushstrokes themselves contribute. Note the loose, gestural quality, which softens the forms and integrates them with the surrounding environment. This blurring further distances us from a purely representational reading. The water almost feels like another layer of paint rather than a distinct element. Editor: So by minimizing detail and maximizing the unity of the composition, Alm draws attention to the fundamental elements of painting itself? Curator: Indeed. By prioritizing the formal elements, the painting invites us to appreciate the inherent qualities of the medium, and recognize that these elements themselves can convey significance, rather than a need to create the impression of a scene. Editor: It’s amazing how much can be revealed by just focusing on the composition and technique. Curator: A focused appreciation can lead to revelations, often beyond intention, through semiotic understanding of the subject-object relationship, the artist, the medium, and ourselves.