I Am a Virgin 1966

Curator: Enrico Baj’s "I Am a Virgin," created in 1966, presents a compelling example of post-war assemblage, using mixed-media elements in a provocative figurative composition. Editor: Striking! There’s such an intriguing, almost disquieting innocence to this… figure. The textures are coarse, and that slightly tilted head suggests a question mark. Curator: The piece very much challenges the conventions of portraiture. Baj was deeply involved in the avant-garde movements of his time, particularly Nuclear Art, which mirrored anxieties about nuclear proliferation and questioned traditional values after the Second World War. The title itself seems ironic, given the rather constructed and inorganic quality of the figure. Editor: Indeed. The geometric abstraction of the face—those simple blue circles for eyes, the square red nose—it reduces the figure to basic components. What strikes me is how this deliberate deconstruction emphasizes the artificiality, questioning ideas about purity or naturalness typically associated with virginity. Curator: And it also aligns with the broader critique of consumer culture that Pop Art was engaged with. Baj was using the readymade in a way that confronted Italian society’s rapid modernization and the shifting role of the individual. He's inviting us to think about how identity itself is being assembled and consumed. Editor: It's fascinating how those very roughly outlined hands try to evoke tenderness but are ultimately overpowered by the rigid materials from which this figure is created. The textured, almost abject quality of its form resists idealization. Curator: The work really operates on many levels. Assembled from varied, cast-off materials, "I Am a Virgin" highlights how meaning and identity can be deliberately crafted or corrupted by external forces. It underscores Baj's commentary on political disillusionment, particularly questioning authoritarian tendencies within seemingly pure societal narratives. Editor: In revisiting the artwork, I'm increasingly drawn to the tension between form and message. It's more than just a statement; it's an artful exploration of identity and constructed realities. Curator: Absolutely. It allows us to rethink postwar artistic expression beyond traditional frameworks. It serves as a critical lens for assessing lasting political questions and challenging established artistic conventions.