Malego by the Sea 1972

Curator: Dieter Roth's "Malego by the Sea" presents a study in contrasts, composed of sharp lines and fluid washes. Editor: It feels like a deconstructed postcard from a rather bleak vacation, doesn't it? The sea looks more like faded denim. Curator: Precisely. The work juxtaposes seemingly unrelated elements—a brick wall, a curious figure, and an abstract form—generating a sense of unease. Editor: That brick wall especially, it seems like such a basic symbol, which I think only deepens the slightly off-kilter feeling that radiates from it. Curator: The composition favors a flattened perspective, which enhances the semiotic play of forms and lines. Editor: I can't help but wonder what Roth was thinking; perhaps this is a map to a memory, or some kind of code? Curator: Roth masterfully disrupts conventional representation. Editor: Its a puzzle that I would be happy to revisit.