Origin 1956

Curator: We're standing before Jay DeFeo’s "Origin," a compelling oil on canvas created in 1956. What strikes you initially? Editor: Well, immediately, it’s the weight of it. Not physical weight, though I imagine it's considerable, but a visual heaviness. Like a mudslide frozen in time. Does that make sense? Curator: Absolutely. The density is central. Look at how DeFeo layers the paint. This isn’t about airy brushstrokes. It's a sculptural process using impasto to create a heavily textured surface. Considering her involvement in the Beat movement, the raw materiality mirrors the anti-establishment aesthetic. Editor: Anti-establishment mud! I like that. There's something so primal about the colors, the earth tones. And it almost vibrates, even though it’s still. It’s like watching something decompose or grow very slowly in fast motion. Disturbing and mesmerizing all at once. Curator: It reflects the ethos of Abstract Expressionism, particularly its engagement with automatism and the subconscious. This wasn’t about precise representation; it was about process and the artist's immediate response to the materials. The almost monochrome palette serves to emphasize texture over color, forcing the viewer to engage with the physical presence of the paint. Editor: Which makes me think of manual labor, and where the artistic act blurs with physical craft. How much pushing, pulling, layering… hours, days even…went into making this! Did DeFeo talk about what, well, originated it? Curator: DeFeo never explicitly stated her intent. It invites interpretations. Some link it to the organic and geological forms of her surroundings in California. Considering it's post-war period, one might interpret it as a reaction to societal upheavals, manifested in the destruction and reconstruction through texture and layering. Editor: So, "Origin," huh? It's the beginning of something…or maybe what's left after everything collapses? Both exhilarating and a little terrifying. Curator: Indeed. It encapsulates a dynamic tension between creation and destruction, making it more than just a painting; it's an experience of becoming.