Carre bleu et noir 1980

Curator: Gosh, at first glance, it’s kinda hypnotic, isn't it? Like staring into one of those old magic eye posters, waiting for the hidden sailboat to pop out. Editor: Indeed. What we have here is "Carre bleu et noir," an acrylic painting created in 1980 by Antonio Asis. Immediately apparent is the highly structured geometric composition of squares containing contrasting circles. Curator: Squares within squares, circles dancing inside... It’s making my head spin! All I can think of is a checkerboard gone abstract-chic. Almost like if Piet Mondrian had a sense of humor and really liked polka dots. Editor: Beyond the playfulness, though, there's a fascinating exploration of pattern, rhythm, and spatial relationships. The alternation of the black and blue creates visual tension that draws the eye across the surface. The rigid hard edges contain perfectly drawn shapes, with their color contrasting one another; there's also a sort of softness created through color theory at play here, as if one needs to decode this optical effect. Curator: Exactly! There's a subtle vibrancy... a visual buzz that keeps you locked in. Even the slightly uneven application of the paint seems intentional, as though Asis wanted us to question our perception and engage with a subtle shift, revealing all sides through what can be considered perfection and a touch of the raw. And what's this got to do with movement anyway? It does create this vibrating aura through contrasting color choices and how one looks at the artwork. Is this "Hard-Edge painting" meant to trigger some senses or to challenge them? Editor: The beauty lies, in part, in its embrace of optical illusion, the very way the composition forces your mind to interact with pattern as an interpretive language or some philosophical question regarding structure, color theory, or simply about visual information; yet on the other hand, the colors provide a relaxing sensation when one is looking at the piece long enough to stop seeking logical perfection. Curator: Well, my brain officially feels patternized, but I think I love it. What starts as a basic geometrical layout morphs into an experience of shapes, space, and motion. So unexpected and deeply mesmerizing! Editor: Absolutely. It really demonstrates how structure, color, and spatial arrangement interact, challenging our sense of vision and logic while providing visual stimuli that is anything but neutral. A simple piece with rich complexity to experience!