143/540 1980

Curator: Ian Stephenson’s 143/540 strikes me as initially chaotic, like an explosion of confetti frozen mid-air. Editor: It's quite striking. Stephenson, born in 1934, created this work using mixed media on paper, and it challenges traditional notions of painting through its novel approach. Curator: Novel indeed! The square almost feels like a portal or a void amidst all that vibrant scattering. I wonder what informed Stephenson to produce this image? Editor: Well, abstraction in the mid-20th century was often tied to ideas about freedom and challenging established norms; the square then offers a direct critique. Curator: I can see that reading. It almost feels like a challenge to the canon. I am starting to like this far more than when I initially saw the piece. Editor: It encourages us to see beyond immediate chaos, towards broader socio-political contexts and questions of representation. Curator: I agree. It is an image that rewards multiple viewings, each time it offers a different perspective. Editor: Absolutely, a great example of how art can bridge formalism and activism.