Yellow to grey and grey to purple and yellow to grey movie - grey to yellow and purple to grey and purple to black and black to grey movie - purple to grey and grey to yellow and purple to black movie [left panel] 2009

Editor: This watercolour on paper is called "Yellow to grey and grey to purple and yellow to grey movie - grey to yellow and purple to grey and purple to black and black to grey movie - purple to grey and grey to yellow and purple to black movie [left panel]" and was created by Olafur Eliasson in 2009. I find the overlapping circles really create a sense of motion. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The use of watercolor and the sequential circles trigger my mind to wonder about the cultural symbolism inherent in the color gradations and implied movement. Circles, of course, represent cycles, time, continuity. Think of mandalas, ancient astronomical charts, or even a basic clock face. The colour shifts could mirror emotional states as well – do these progressions have personal or universal resonance, would you say? Editor: I guess the transition from yellow to grey, then to purple and back, could suggest cycles of hope, then neutrality, and maybe a touch of melancholy? But the lightness of the watercolor keeps it all pretty airy and abstract. Curator: Precisely! Eliasson often engages with perception and natural phenomena. Watercolors, in their fluid nature, amplify that connection. Does the gradient evoke for you the memory of a sunrise, sunset, or perhaps the fleeting quality of light during different times of day? This kind of symbolism gives us clues. Editor: I see what you mean. The ephemeral washes remind me a lot of atmospheric changes. It’s interesting how the medium and the geometric shapes combine to hint at such complex ideas. Curator: And by contemplating that synthesis, we tap into the collective reservoir of meanings embedded in images throughout human history. It is an artwork's invitation to engage. Editor: I will keep all that in mind when observing similar work in the future. Thanks!