Dimensions: support: 917 x 1065 x 50 mm
Copyright: © Tate | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Curator: This is John Piper's "Abstract I", currently held in the Tate Collections. Piper, born in 1903 and died in 1992, created quite a stir with his abstract works. Editor: It’s striking! The sharp geometric forms juxtaposed against the muted palette create a sense of tension, almost a visual push and pull. Curator: Yes, and considering Piper’s interest in architectural forms, it could be argued that this abstraction reflects post-war reconstruction, grappling with societal fragmentation. Editor: I see it as a very personal exploration of form and color theory, perhaps reflecting a search for order in a world undergoing massive social upheaval. Curator: Fascinating how abstract forms can evoke such diverse interpretations depending on our own historical and philosophical perspectives. Editor: Indeed. It makes you wonder about the role of abstraction as a vessel for both personal and collective narratives.
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This work was reproduced in black and white in Circle. Its stage-like interleaving of coloured planes reflects Piper’s engagement with abstract aesthetics. Though Piper is more commonly thought of as a painter of historical architecture and the landscape, for a short period he was intimately involved in the avant-garde. This was evident in his association with Axis, a groundbreaking journal of abstract art, which was edited by his wife Myfanwy Evans. Piper had strong links with artists abroad and his own collection included works by painters Piet Mondrian and Jean Helion, as well as the American sculptor Alexander Calder. Gallery label, May 2007
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