Diary of a Madman - 76 

Editor: Here we have Andre Lanskoy's *Diary of a Madman - 76,* created using mixed media, acrylic paint, and collage. The bright red and blue are visually striking, almost aggressive. It feels chaotic but somehow controlled. What can you tell me about it? Curator: The "madman" title gives us an important point of entry. Lanskoy created this piece within a complex socio-political environment. The use of abstraction gained traction in post-war Europe, specifically, as artists sought a visual language that could reflect trauma. How might we understand his rejection of clear representational imagery within this historical framework? Editor: So, the "madness" isn’t necessarily personal, but a reflection of the world at large? Curator: Exactly. Abstraction, and collage specifically, allowed artists to fragment and reconstruct reality. Think about the anxieties and disillusionment following World War II. How does Lanskoy use those fragmented shapes and jarring color combinations to reflect social or political turbulence? Do you think it invites viewers to consider their own fractured perspectives? Editor: It's less a picture of something, and more like a…feeling of something falling apart? The bright colours are interesting. Curator: Precisely! The vibrant, almost clashing colours can read as destabilizing. It disrupts traditional notions of harmony and beauty. Lanskoy’s piece becomes part of a wider artistic discourse critiquing the status quo, one collage at a time. The collage elements also reflect that disruption by pulling materials out of context. Editor: That helps me understand it better. It's not just random shapes, it's a statement about the world, using abstraction as the language. I hadn't considered the art historical element and socio-political environment of art itself. Curator: And that’s how we give art of the past its social relevance today! Thanks!