Flow 2010

Curator: Right, let's spend some time with Romul Nutiu's “Flow” from 2010. It’s an acrylic and watercolor piece. What strikes you about it? Editor: Immediately? A downpour. Not just rain, a torrent, a flood of emotions. All those whites and blues make me think of cleansing, even catharsis. Curator: The title certainly invites that interpretation. Water is such a powerful symbol—rebirth, purification, the unconscious… What about the Fauvist colors interspersed in the predominantly blue background? Editor: They feel…anarchic, playful even? Like tiny rebellions against the overwhelming melancholy of the blue. Little bursts of life asserting themselves within the torrent. Does that make sense? Curator: Absolutely. Expressionism often plays with those kinds of contrasts— intense emotional expression coupled with raw, vibrant colors. Waterfalls often signify the unstoppable force of nature, how everything changes in time…it feels very Expressionist in that sense, especially coupled with that sense of turbulent emotion you pointed out earlier. Editor: There's also a curious duality in the composition. Vertical strokes dominate, suggesting that dramatic downward flow, yet there's also this incredible busyness near what feels like the base of the image—almost like a landscape… the land after the waterfall. What can we make of that? Curator: Consider that in Expressionism, abstraction isn't necessarily about rejecting representation; it's about intensifying feeling. It could suggest both the immediate impact and the enduring effect—the initial rush and the lasting transformation. That constant change could represent anything: personal growth, overcoming hardship, moving on from trauma… Editor: True. I felt immediately somber, but after looking at this more closely, and speaking with you about it, I find more optimism in “Flow” than I first thought was there. I felt like this work was angry… I think this work is ultimately about change and renewal. It almost perfectly represents that expression that 'this too shall pass'. Curator: I agree; looking deeper reveals layers of complexity that can provide great nuance in how it speaks to the observer. Editor: It's funny, isn’t it? Art sometimes reflects back what we’re carrying inside ourselves, and we think we're seeing the art, but we're actually just seeing ourselves! Curator: Perhaps all interpretation is a kind of self-portrait in disguise.