Illusion 2017

Editor: This is Nemanja Vučković’s "Illusion" from 2017, created using acrylic paint. I’m struck by the textural quality – the way the paint seems to drip and pool. It feels both chaotic and controlled at the same time. What stands out to you about this work? Curator: I immediately consider the application of acrylic and its impact on the overall experience. Notice the sheer physicality of the paint: its viscosity, the evidence of its movement across the surface. Think about the labor involved, the artist’s gesture repeated countless times. Editor: So, the ‘how’ it was made is key? Curator: Precisely. The act of creation becomes as important as, if not more important than, the final image. Does the tension between chaos and control suggest anything to you about the art market maybe? The constant need for novelty, the pressure on artists? Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn’t considered the economic context. The colours, especially the contrast between the red and green, feels very deliberate too. Curator: Absolutely, how might those specific pigments been selected by the artist. Did they manufacture them by hand? Were they store-bought? Each carries its own cultural associations and costs, which contribute to the overall material narrative. Editor: So, it's not just about what the painting looks like, but what went into making it, and even where those materials came from? Curator: Exactly! Examining the production unveils layers of meaning. Reflect on how the artist manipulates these materials to, perhaps, question traditional hierarchies of skill and value within the art world. What we're left with is this constant negotiation with the means and mode of artistic expression. Editor: This has really changed my perspective; I'll be thinking a lot more about materials going forward. Curator: Excellent! That material awareness will enrich your understanding of all art forms.