Water spring 2018

Editor: So, this is Christian Attersee's "Water Spring" from 2018, made with, it looks like, acrylics on textile. The impasto is intense! I get a real feeling of movement from the brushstrokes, almost violent. What can you tell me about the processes or social forces at play here? Curator: It's important to consider Attersee’s process. He often worked rapidly, intuitively. See how the thick paint application isn’t just about the surface; it speaks to a frantic energy. We might ask, what socioeconomic conditions fuel such frenetic art making? Or think about the materials. Why textile instead of traditional canvas? How does that choice subvert hierarchies of artistic media? Editor: That's a really interesting point about the textile. It blurs the line between fine art and something…more domestic? Curator: Exactly! He's taking something traditionally associated with craft and elevating it. And look at the title, "Water Spring." Is it referencing a natural source? Or perhaps the water springs that would be crucial for mills and production? Does that relationship impact your interpretation of the artist’s gesture? Editor: I see what you mean. The 'spring' could refer to both nature and industrial development, right? Maybe that’s part of why the movement feels so conflicted, turbulent almost. The waves feel a little overwhelming in their size compared to everything else. Curator: It seems that by understanding Attersee’s production and material choices, we begin to uncover possible dialogues between nature and labor that aren't so different. Do you feel that Attersee's process impacts how you view its cultural message now? Editor: Absolutely. Considering the materials and production challenges my first impressions completely! It gives a whole new layer of meaning. Curator: Indeed! It prompts a reconsideration of the artistic labor that’s involved in creating it, how materials change that process and how even social changes shape artistic expression.