Heraldic Call 1965

Editor: So this is "Heraldic Call," made by Hans Hofmann in 1965. It's acrylic paint on canvas. There’s a chaotic energy that feels really powerful but also kind of confusing to me. What do you see in this piece, especially with a title like that? Curator: The title, "Heraldic Call," offers us a crucial lens. Heraldry, traditionally, is a system of symbols representing lineage, identity, and history. Think about those family crests you might see in old movies. Editor: Okay, I get that. So the shapes and colors are acting like symbols? Curator: Exactly! Hofmann's abstract language becomes a modern heraldry. Consider the vibrant red – what feelings does that evoke? And the solid blocks of color? These might stand in for stability, power, or even conflict. But, remember, abstraction leaves room for our interpretation. Editor: I guess the red does feel bold, maybe aggressive even. And the blue is calming in contrast. But it’s all so jumbled! Curator: The ‘jumble’ as you say is important! What if those dissonances express cultural shifts, or the complexities of modern identity compared to more fixed, historical notions of heraldry? Is the painting perhaps about broken traditions? Consider that Abstract Expressionism as a whole occurred post-World War II; there were many shattered global notions that artists needed to capture and reclaim. Editor: Wow, I hadn’t considered it like that! I was just seeing messy blocks, but now I see potential for a coded story about society. Curator: Hofmann gives us the alphabet, the symbolic elements; it's up to us to read the painting and understand what it signifies for each of us individually in today’s society. A lot different than what a 'family crest' meant to older generations. Editor: This totally changes how I see abstract art now, not just random paint, but symbolic!