Achrome 1960

Curator: Piero Manzoni's Achrome, made around 1960. It's made of kaolin, a type of clay, on canvas. Editor: My first impression is quietude, almost to the point of being austere. The uniform surface is segmented into rectangular shapes which gives a subtle, grid-like structure. Curator: Manzoni developed these Achrome works as part of his radical investigation into the essence of art itself. He deliberately aimed to create surfaces devoid of color or explicit imagery, challenging the prevailing expressive, subjective approaches to painting popular at the time. One must ask oneself if this artistic intention had some sociopolitical grounds during this period. Editor: It certainly does evoke something of a blank slate. But there is still this materiality of the kaolin which draws me in. The surface cracks are a reminder of age but also suggest a raw, organic element, like earth itself. Curator: These cracks or fissures are crucial. In shunning traditional artmaking gestures, Manzoni ironically foregrounded matter and time. Through serial repetition and subtle variations, Manzoni forces the viewer to engage with art as material and to contemplate concepts such as nothingness. Consider his performative, often provocative body of work in tandem with this more contemplative expression to see this point underscored even further. Editor: Absolutely, it creates a strange dichotomy! It’s an almost paradoxical image, in a way. The apparent void of color draws one's attention, triggering cultural memories of parchment or clay tablets and then our own impulse to imbue it with meaning. In stripping away overt symbolism, Manzoni’s achromes reveal just how primed we are to find them everywhere. Curator: Precisely. This lack becomes a profound statement. By denying color and overt form, Manzoni implicitly criticizes the art world’s relentless commodification of spectacle, of novelty. Editor: A fascinating push and pull between absence and presence. Curator: Indeed, absence and presence intertwine, encouraging introspection and a reevaluation of art's potential to transcend surface appearance and societal constraints. Editor: An apt invitation, particularly now. Thank you.