War-torn 1945

Curator: Robert Ericksen's "War-torn," at just over 60 centimeters square, presents a visceral response to conflict. Editor: It's immediately striking—a chaotic vortex of dark hues punctuated by flashes of red and green. Very unsettling. Curator: Ericksen painted this during a time when abstract expressionism offered artists a new visual vocabulary to express the trauma and anxieties of the post-war period. Editor: The eye is drawn to the swirling composition, the way forms bleed into one another. The artist's use of line and color almost mimics the destructive energy of war itself. Curator: I think its power lies in its refusal to depict specific events. Instead, it grapples with the psychological impact of widespread violence on the collective consciousness. Editor: The lack of grounding, the floating elements, contribute to a sense of disorientation. It doesn't offer resolution. Curator: Perhaps that is because there is no easy resolution to the trauma of war. Editor: An important reminder. It will stay with me.