Opus 12 1965 - 1968

Curator: Here we have Naum Gabo's "Opus 12," a print held within the Tate Collections. Editor: My first impression is a sense of enclosed energy, the circular composition somehow containing something quite dynamic. Curator: It does evoke containment. The abstracted form could be interpreted as an eye, a window, or even a portal, suggesting a symbolic gateway. Editor: Yes, the eye-like shape and central void are key. The layered lines, create depth and movement within the bounded space. It's also interesting to see the contrast between the organic shape and the more rigid, geometric interior. Curator: The blue ink enhances the sense of mystery, perhaps alluding to spiritual or psychological depths. I'm struck by the recurring motif of eyes in art history, and how they invite our gaze and project a sense of the "other." Editor: Precisely. Gabo's formal arrangement encourages a phenomenological relationship, inviting the viewer to contemplate the relationship between interiority and exteriority. Curator: A profound connection between ourselves and the unknown, indeed. Editor: I agree. The very act of looking becomes a subject within the piece itself.