Untitled [verso] 

Editor: Here we have Mark Rothko’s "Untitled [verso]," an ink drawing on paper. What strikes me immediately is the contrast between the loose, almost chaotic, ink blots and the structured, ordered columns of numbers. What do you see in this piece, especially in relation to Rothko's other work? Curator: Considering the material qualities, the raw ink blots provide an immediate visual texture, starkly contrasting with the translucence of the paper. Note the spontaneous application of the medium; these forms operate on their own plane. The composition appears fragmented. How does the numerical structure interact with the spontaneous gestures, to your eye? Editor: Well, the numbers give a sense of… deliberate inscription, perhaps even control, but the blots seem accidental, expressive. The two seem to be in opposition, yet coexist within the frame. Do these elements somehow resolve each other? Curator: Precisely. Consider the plane as a stage for two systems of signs. The numerals, symbols representing codified information. Then consider the free marks. These serve as abstract shapes, pure indexical evidence of the artist's actions. Each form resists integration into a coherent field. It questions representation, inviting a formal reading devoid of historical or contextual consideration. What is your assessment of how the materiality aids the affect? Editor: I now see that it isn’t about what the image depicts, but about the physical act of creation and the interplay of contrasting marks that define the overall aesthetic experience. This drawing and your breakdown of the components has offered me a way of appreciating the tensions inherent in abstract expressionism. Curator: Indeed. Close visual attention refines appreciation and enables nuanced consideration.