Petals on the Pavement 1968

Editor: Viorel Marginean’s 1968 painting, "Petals on the Pavement," is composed with acrylic paint. The first thing that strikes me is how subdued and almost dreamlike the color palette is. It makes me think of something precious, seen fleetingly. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, it's funny you say dreamlike. It reminds me of looking up at the night sky and seeing all those stars scattered, a cosmic garden, or maybe even a petri dish teeming with life. It also brings to mind the aftermath of a celebration, those ephemeral petals abandoned on the street. The contrast between the organic shapes and the almost industrial coolness of the grey is really intriguing, isn't it? What is it about the color palette that you find dreamlike? Editor: The grey scale punctuated by small, mostly-white circles that aren't overwhelming – gives it this sort of misty quality, as though the whole thing is faded like a memory. Do you see it relating to other modernist work of the time? Curator: Absolutely. Think about the post-war period, the anxiety mixed with the desire to rebuild, to find beauty in simplicity. This piece, with its repetition and near-monochromatic palette, is clearly in conversation with those ideas. Marginean seems to be suggesting a new order emerging from chaos, much like those persistent petals breaking through the cold, hard pavement. Almost defiant! I wonder what we are building and breaking down today? Editor: That is such an interesting lens through which to see it; thinking of it in relation to the rebuilding era definitely opens it up. Thanks for sharing! Curator: My pleasure! It is wonderful to think of our personal experiences and the world-at-large merging to create a whole new context within each artwork.