Acrilico no. 13 1976

Editor: We're looking at Bice Lazzari's "Acrilico no. 13," painted in 1976 using acrylic. I'm struck by its almost architectural structure, these columns and rows that feel both rigid and strangely musical. What do you see in this piece, especially considering the socio-political context of art at the time? Curator: What strikes me immediately is how Lazzari's minimalist vocabulary intersects with broader conversations around gender and authorship within Modernism. Looking at "Acrilico no. 13," one can consider how her reduction of form—these delicate lines and geometric arrangements—offered a subtle yet powerful challenge to the dominant, often masculinist, narratives in abstract art. It’s work like this that prompts us to question whose voices and perspectives were historically privileged and how women artists navigated those spaces. How does it resonate with you when thinking about similar artistic practices from that period? Editor: It's interesting you mention that, because on the surface, it doesn't seem explicitly political. It's so restrained and quiet. The single red line really stands out to me. Curator: Precisely, that quietness can be deceptive. Think of the feminist slogan "the personal is political." Lazzari’s deliberate mark-making, her choice to work within abstraction while subtly subverting its conventions, could be seen as her claiming space within a male-dominated field. The red line, perhaps, symbolizes a quiet defiance or a rupture in the established order. Editor: That makes me see it in a completely new way. I initially saw just geometry, but now I see a statement. Curator: Exactly! And that’s the beauty of engaging with art from an intersectional perspective: we uncover hidden layers of meaning and power that challenge and enrich our understanding. Editor: Thanks, I now realize there is a potent relationship between abstraction, authorship, and socio-political contexts, I can now think differently.