June Painting, Ultramarine and Yellow 1996

Curator: Wilhelmina Barns-Graham's large-scale work, "June Painting, Ultramarine and Yellow," presents a striking abstract composition. Editor: The painting feels almost architectural, or like a blueprint. The blocks of color and heavy lines create this interesting tension. Curator: Barns-Graham's engagement with abstraction developed significantly after her time in St Ives. She was interested in modernism and the possibilities of pure form, and the painting reflects that. Editor: Given the time period, how do we understand its place within the shifting landscape of abstraction, and its relationship to gendered notions of artistic expression? Curator: Barns-Graham faced considerable challenges as a woman in a male-dominated art world. It's important to recognize her contributions and her own unique visual language. Editor: Yes, situating her work within the larger art history is key, but it’s also imperative that we critically examine how that history has been written and whose voices have been marginalized. Curator: Indeed, it is a reminder to continuously re-evaluate our understanding of art history. Editor: Absolutely. And to appreciate the powerful impact of her approach to form and color, then and now.