Crystals of Standstill 1983

Curator: Günter Brus, born in 1938, created "Crystals of Standstill" using mixed media on paper; it's quite large, over a meter tall, and currently resides at the Tate. Editor: My first impression is chaos, but beautiful chaos! The figures seem to float in this amber dreamscape. Curator: Brus was a radical Austrian action artist, and this piece certainly reflects that sensibility—exploring psychological states through fragmented forms. There's a raw, unfiltered quality here. Editor: Absolutely. There’s a vulnerability in those faces, almost childlike, but surrounded by these darker, more unsettling elements. The horse and bird, though, bring a kind of wild freedom. Curator: Brus was deeply engaged in critiquing societal norms, often using his own body as a canvas. Works like these reflect a broader exploration of the self within a fractured world. Editor: It's like looking into someone's subconscious; the painting is not resolving but unraveling and showing how the artist is coping with the different energies that come together. I see something new each time. Curator: Indeed, its enduring power lies in its ability to evoke such intensely personal responses. Editor: A powerful piece indeed.