Rubbings from the Calcium Garden...Maryan 1977

Editor: This is "Rubbings from the Calcium Garden…Maryan" created in 1977 by Irving Petlin, using watercolors. The initial impression is a landscape viewed through some kind of decorative frame, it’s kind of surreal, with this pale, dreamlike quality. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Note the insistent flatness. Petlin employs watercolor techniques that simultaneously create depth and deny it. See how the layering creates atmospheric perspective, yet the lack of distinct forms keeps the space ambiguous, almost dissolving into abstraction. The palette of ochre and yellows further contributes to this sense of visual unity. How does the internal frame alter your perception of the depicted scene? Editor: I see what you mean, it’s like looking at a landscape and a pattern at the same time. The frame kind of flattens the whole image, emphasizing its surface qualities rather than illusionistic depth. Curator: Precisely. The composition draws attention to the medium itself—the washes, the textures—prioritizing formal elements over representational accuracy. The "Calcium Garden" of the title might allude to the skeletal remains, but the artwork prioritizes the structure of viewing itself. Editor: So it’s less about what is depicted and more about how we perceive it, a focus on formal composition and medium. Thanks, I will think about that. Curator: It’s an engagement with how structure mediates our understanding. A worthwhile reflection.