Slushing 1971

Curator: Well, here we have Red Grooms' "Slushing," a watercolor from 1971. My first impression? Total sensory overload! The colors are explosive, the composition is chaotic—it’s New York City on caffeine pills. What hits you? Editor: I see a joyful dance between the city's mundane and its larger-than-life personalities. All the details that comprise our contemporary experience, but interpreted through what looks like children’s colored pencils. It feels honest and approachable, without pretense. Curator: The "naïve art" style Grooms employs speaks volumes, right? Think about it: New York is often portrayed as this harsh, unforgiving place. But here, Grooms finds its vibrant heartbeat. Editor: Exactly! Those caricatured figures, the exaggerated proportions…it's as if he’s amplifying the everyday theater that plays out on city streets. Each figure with distinct stories and journeys… the body language really evokes it all for me. I get that sense that each inhabitant is its own vibrant story. Curator: The signage is significant, I believe. Note how Lafayette street runs through the entire visual background, how some companies signs and colors seem more amplified over others: the work reveals the cultural zeitgeist of the 1970s through this subtle yet deliberate emphasis, it offers us the image of a continuous memory through visual symbols. Editor: Yes, those iconic brands of a certain time feel alive and immediate. "Slushing" is so effective: the painting feels immediate, like a shared joke, or even better, a jam session with our souls. Grooms gives you permission to let the chaos just *be*, find the beauty in it and own it, perhaps as an invitation to celebrate all our little perfections. Curator: I think you’ve nailed it. It encapsulates a moment, but it also seems to transcends time—the joy, the bustle. It certainly gives much food for thought on our understanding of our urban landscapes! Editor: Grooms somehow gave the everyday a starring role! His paintings invites to embrace all colors with no fear. Just let our authentic self to take it from there.