Round Wooden Bar 1977

Curator: Immediately, the work looks precarious; as if it might tumble out of that corner. Is this fragility deliberate, an early deconstruction of institutional critique through precarious geometries? Editor: I see its vulnerability differently. The surface is smooth and painted wood—seemingly straightforward in its manufacture, almost like a functional tool, though not quite. It raises the question of how the simplest of means become meaningful through a process of making. Curator: Absolutely. This is Andre Cadere's "Round Wooden Bar" from 1977. It epitomizes his approach to art as intervention. Each colored section is meticulously placed. Cadere defied the traditional exhibition spaces, opting instead to display his works in unconventional settings to challenge existing power structures and gallery conventions. Editor: I appreciate the subversion of established structures you note. To add to this materiality: given the use of elementary geometric form with those carefully sequenced colored wood blocks—we also see his defiance to what has been historically prized and celebrated, perhaps even critiquing those ideals. Curator: That is very perceptive. Indeed, it prompts questions about the role of color, line, and form in Minimalist aesthetics, especially through an interrogation of patriarchal power in that era, because these pieces disrupted public and private space—blurring the boundaries between the art object, installation, and public intervention in ways that resisted institutionalization. Cadere wanted to engage in open dialogue and create new meanings. Editor: I wonder if the hand of the artist is intentionally erased or perhaps even, concealed within that wooden structure. This leads us to questions around artisanal production, as it forces a confrontation about the act of creating. Does this also expose issues inherent to consumer culture as well? Curator: His work provides so much layered thought. Overall, Cadere offers not merely an aesthetic experience but challenges established norms—pushing art into an activist position in an act of profound cultural commentary and reflection. Editor: Yes. Examining "Round Wooden Bar" provides an entry point into analyzing his use of everyday materials to generate meaning that complicates art's relationship with labor and objecthood.