Studies on the Past 26 2008

Editor: This is "Studies on the Past 26" by Joe Goode, made in 2008 with colored pencil and watercolor. It feels almost dreamlike, the way the bottle seems to float in a wash of color. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I'm particularly drawn to how Goode employs the contrasting properties of watercolor and colored pencil. The fluidity of the watercolor creates an atmospheric space, while the colored pencil offers sharp lines. Observe how the transparent bottle refracts the intense, almost toxic, yellows and greens. Editor: Toxic, interesting! The interplay of the solid and the ephemeral is striking. Why do you think he chose these colors? Curator: From a formalist perspective, color isn't merely decorative but a structural element. The high-key palette and the contrast create a spatial tension, the near-fluorescent hues evoking a sense of artificiality. Goode might be exploring ideas of simulated nature and the passage of time. Do you see the geometric shapes within the abstraction? Editor: Now that you mention it, yes! The way the colors are blocked creates implied shapes within the broader scene. The bottle acts as a focal point but almost dissolves into the ground. Curator: Precisely. The work balances representational elements with abstract gestures. Goode forces us to reconsider how we perceive both the object and its context through visual language. Editor: I appreciate how focusing on these visual relationships enriches the work! Curator: It provides new ways for viewers to interpret form and meaning!