Courtablon 1969

Editor: This is Henri Hayden's "Courtablon," a print in the Tate collection. I’m struck by how the blocks of colour create a sense of depth and distance, despite the flatness of the picture plane. What underlying symbols or imagery do you see at play here? Curator: Notice how the landscape is reduced to these essential forms. The colours are quite earthy. The red rectangle is interesting, drawing your eye, while the brown and green colours provide a sense of stability. Do these colours evoke particular memories or feelings for you? Editor: I see the red as a signifier of human intervention, interrupting the pastoral, perhaps even a symbol of modernity encroaching on tradition. Curator: Yes, it’s a potent symbol. Consider how Hayden uses these flattened forms, building upon Cubist vocabulary, to construct his own visual language of memory and place. Editor: I didn't expect to find so much symbolism in such a simple composition. It’s made me think about how colours carry cultural significance. Curator: Indeed. It is about decoding the symbolic language artists use to express deeper meanings and create connections across time and cultures.