Horse and Rider with Flag, 1999 1999

Curator: Richard Hambleton's "Horse and Rider with Flag," painted in 1999 using acrylic, presents an energetic study of form and nationhood. Editor: Wow, there’s a kind of untamed rawness to this, isn't there? Like a half-remembered dream of the Wild West clashing with... well, the symbol of American promise or something. It's so visceral, almost unsettling. Curator: The layering is key, I think. Hambleton was really playing with these oppositions – the wildness of the subject matter against the commercial viability of nationhood. The quickness of the execution is an integral part of its meaning, given how the image was originally constructed using raw material and what that communicates to the viewer. Editor: Yes, it's like the application of acrylic became performance – immediate and bold! Makes me feel like this artwork was made through instinct, using broad strokes in the style of early Abstract Expressionism. There's this desperate energy – perhaps a commentary on our own volatile nationhood and relationship to nature and each other? It feels almost dangerous...in a good way, though! Curator: Given the date, the layering of abstraction onto recognizable subject matter, and considering Hambleton’s place in New York street art of the 1980s, this piece makes an argument for the changing notions of American identity at the turn of the millennium. It raises the question, “Who exactly does America idealize when thinking of its own mythology?”. Editor: Good point. Thinking of Hambleton's legacy as a street artist, this reminds me of fleeting moments caught in ink splashed across pages. Like a shadow disappearing the moment you turn to look. The flag is so abstract, with a powerful silhouette, it is like it's disappearing on its own accord too! It is making a very interesting connection between identity and perception of reality. Curator: It is powerful in its material statement and historical consideration, offering a commentary on art consumption that forces reflection on its cultural position. Editor: So true. Thanks for unraveling some of this. It’s the kind of piece that rattles around in your head long after you've seen it.