3 to 1 in Groovy Green 1995

Editor: Charles Long’s "3 to 1 in Groovy Green," made in 1995, is a real conversation starter. It's this oddly shaped, bright green sculpture on a table, placed right next to an unassuming orange couch. The wires connecting the objects give it this unexpected, almost unsettling feeling. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, I am struck by how Long uses familiar forms, like furniture, and transforms them into something altogether strange and compelling. Consider the color. That assertive green recalls both organic life and artificiality, a potent combination in the late 20th century. Don't you find it unsettling? Editor: Definitely unsettling, but also a little playful. Like something out of a cartoon. Curator: Precisely! Think about what 'groovy' meant in the 90s versus now. The work triggers a sort of cultural memory, doesn't it? A longing for a perceived simpler, cooler past, juxtaposed with this rather clinical presentation of everyday objects. The placement too, the object between two articles of furniture - do you believe it has a unifying role? Editor: It almost feels like he’s poking fun at modernism's obsession with functionality. It is, yet it isn't functional. Curator: Yes! And the title implies relationships, perhaps ratios of connection. The "3 to 1" – is it about objects, people, or ideas? The work's open endedness is its strength. The couch with headphones is inviting the viewer in some fashion, what would it sound like, feel like, or mean? These items feel so close to familiarity and comfort, that the artist takes just a bit too far and transforms to unsettling. It might reveal something important about human perception itself. Editor: I see that now. The everyday becomes alien, and it forces us to reconsider what we take for granted. Curator: Exactly. Art like this reflects back our own anxieties and desires in unexpected ways. Editor: Thanks, it completely changed how I was looking at the sculpture. Curator: And thank you for your thoughts! It’s amazing what is shown when multiple views are shared and explored together!