Untitled 1986

Curator: This vibrant, acrylic piece is simply titled "Untitled" and was created by Antonio Palolo in 1986. Editor: The first thing that strikes me is the sheer energy. It feels almost frantic, with those vivid figures seeming to be caught in a perpetual motion. Curator: Palolo was associated with the Neo-Expressionist movement. You can definitely see some key aspects here. It shares much of the movement’s raw emotion and energetic application of paint that arose as a reaction against the minimalism of the 1970s. I find myself considering its cultural context, emerging amidst a wave of artists grappling with issues of identity and political expression. Editor: I’m seeing a compelling use of color. Look at how Palolo uses those bold primary colors. It really captures the dynamism; the reds pull the eye forward while the blues seem to recede into an almost cavernous backdrop. The overlaid curvilinear brushstrokes soften an otherwise potentially aggressive feel to this Neo-Expressionist work. Curator: It’s tempting to read a deeper narrative into those colors and forms. Perhaps, through this piece, Palolo is reflecting upon the socio-political struggles and shifting identities prominent in the European landscape of the 1980s. The layering effect certainly complicates any straightforward reading. I mean, are we looking at a celebration of bodies, or the impact and legacy of societal division? Editor: I’d say that Palolo is deliberately pushing us towards this interpretation, to contemplate how meaning emerges through form and visual relations. While it is figurative, there is still so much of abstract line and shape work, especially if we consider his place amongst fellow expressionists. Curator: Thinking about the artwork in this way underscores art’s power to catalyze conversation and question how cultural factors form identity. I am struck by this intersection, as are viewers to this day. Editor: Yes, it makes you consider the basic building blocks of painting. A really thought-provoking piece.